Whatever It Takes
by PisceanPal23
Summary: When Sara finds twin baby boys at a crime scene she, along with Greg and Nick, vow to find out who killed their parents, and who still hunts them. Everything is at stake when people will do whatever it takes to get what they want.
1. Strange And Cruel Discoveries

**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm back with another story...I have been on a hiatus for a while...I think it was depression...CSI style, lol...well, I figure, no! I'll NOT let whats happening in the show stop me from writing about WHO I want...so, I hope that works with you all...I know, I like keeping with the show, but I cannot cut her out. So, this is a darker fic by me. It was inspired by...wait, umm, well, I'm not quite sure:S**

**In any case, it's darker...the rating may very well change mid-story. It'll be rated T as of now, but anyone, feel free to alert me to any changes that should be made ratings wise. And any opinions you have. I like criticism:). Anyways, here it is everyone...first chapter of a new fic! **

**WHATEVER IT TAKES**

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**CHAPTER 1: STRANGE AND CRUEL DISCOVERIES**

Sara Sidle walked up the short driveway towards a small home in a trendy neighbourhood in Las Vegas. However, she never felt the rush, the invigoration she usually felt when she came to a crime scene. As a forensics investigator, her passion was trying to get justice for the victims who could not get it for themselves, to make sure lawbreakers paid for their crimes. The rush of adrenaline when she found that crucial piece of evidence that could prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that a criminal had done the deed was always the zest of each crime.

Tonight however, Sara scowled at the crime scene ahead of her. She had been called on a simple trespassing call. It was strange, however. When everyone had gotten their jobs, she knew it would be busy. Warrick Brown and Gil Grissom, the supervisor of the Graveyard shift, had a double homicide at an old warehouse. Catherine Willows had a break and entering, and an attempted sexual assault on a woman in Summerlin. Greg Sanders and Nick Stokes had a double murder of a man and woman not too far from where Sara had her crime scene. She could see the faint hue of blue and red from police squad cars at their scene on the horizon, flashing like the Aurora Borealis in the starless sky. She hoped they would have a better scene than she would.

"Hey Sara." Detective Sam Vega greeted Sara as she walked up the short path to the house. "Not a very interesting one tonight."

"Not for me, anyways." Sara said, giving a slight smile towards his direction. It still bothered her that she had gotten the slip of paper bringing her here, instead of their rookie investigator, Greg. It seemed odd that she had to work the less important case. Then again, no case was less important, and more bigger still, Greg was not a rookie anymore, but a competent investigator. Sara sometimes forgot that. "What do we have tonight?"

"Well, we got a call in about a half hour ago," Vega started, flipping through a notebook he retrieved from his pocket. "A man in his thirties who lives in this home said his wife woke him up, complaining of a noise outside. He went to check it out, and he said he saw a man fleeing on foot. He hopped over the front fence and then ran down the street."

"Any descriptions?" Sara asked as they started walking through the halls of the house. The walls were a pleasant light brown, plastered with pictures of the man and wife in various locations. There was no denying that they were affluent. The house screamed double pay check, and was decorated in rich woods. It would take Sara s year's salary to buy s piece of that furniture alone.

"Yeah, the man got a good look at the perp, when he turned around. Apparently he was pretty scruffy, maybe homeless, in a worn plaid coat and jeans. However, he could be miles away from us by now."

They had now arrived outside. Sara had not recognized it before, but the house was not part of the block, rather the back of the house was like a gate to the desert. The yard was well cut and green, with a myriad of flowers planted around borders, and then past the small fence, there were barrens of old businesses, decrepit warehouses and factories. The ground was composed of cracked asphalt and mud, and debris was everywhere. "Hmm. This is the perfect gateway for a criminal looking for an escape."

"Yeah. Criminal is right." Vega said, leading her over to one end of the yard. He stopped and gestured with his hand for her to follow suit. Sara walked over, and stopped next to where Vega had stopped. Down on the ground, almost camouflaged by the mosaic of colourful flower, was a bloody knife.

"Ah, Vega," Sara said with a smile, "you know how to make an investigator's day."

"I try my best." Vega replied, with a smile of his own on his face. "So what do you think this is? Just a weapon, ditched by a crook who thought it would save him from jail time?"

"I'm not sure." Sara replied, laying down her shining silver kit on the ground. Suddenly, a wave of paranoia washed over Sara, and she shivered, though Vega did not notice. She opened up her kit and hauled on gloves, and took out an evidence bag. "This seems too odd yet to tell. I guess I'll see when I gather everything, and take a look around."

"Okay." Vega said, as he backed off a bit to let her work. He walked back to the porch of the house to talk once more with the husband and wife who called in the crime as Sara got to work. She carefully took the knife and placed it even more carefully in to the bag, hopeful that it would wield incriminating evidence. Then she took out her flashlight and started to scout out the rest of the area. If what Vega said was right about the crook ditching his weapon instead of keeping it, then whoever had come through the garden didn't seem very smart. It meant that there was a greater chance for something to be left behind. Although Grissom had always impressed on his CSI's to never underestimate anyone, she sometimes could not help it. Sara looked about the dirt where the knife was found, but finding nothing else probative, started to look around the garden.

Sara walked all around the lawn, making sure not to miss any land. She made sure to check every spot where a shoe impression could be, a hair, anything that could link her to the person she was looking for. However she could not find anything in the lawn, and after twenty minutes looking over the same plot of land, she growled.

"Vega, there is nothing else here besides that knife."

Detective Vega came over to Sara as she spoke to him. "So, what? Are you going to pack it in? It is only a trespassing call. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. Maybe he found the knife in one of those old buildings."

Sara shivered again. Something didn't seem right. "I know it's just a trespassing call, and according to the description, that guy could very well have gotten that knife anywhere. However, we can't take any chances. Why was he here with a bloody knife, and more importantly, if he did use it himself, on whom did he use it?" She asked rhetorically. "I need to find out."

"So…_where_ are you going with this?" He asked her, though as he followed her eyes, he already knew.

"I'm going to have to hop the fence and start looking over in the old buildings." Sara said. Well, she did want something interesting to do tonight. "I have a feeling there's more to this than meets the eye."

"It's up to you Sara." Vega replied. "Though I'd rather you not. I'm not very much in the mood for hopping fences."

"It's good exercise." Sara replied back as she lifted herself carefully over the small white picket fence. "Come on, I'm not supposed to go anywhere without a police officer present."

Sara landed softly on her feet on the other side, as Vega came swiftly behind her, also bringing her field kit, which she then took from him. As soon as she took her first steps, she shivered again, and she immediately went on her guard. She took out her flashlight again. From behind the fence, she could barely make out the porch light that came from the house, nor could she make out the blue and red lights from a few blocks away, where she knew Nick and Greg were also working. Clicking the small button, she immediately found a trail of footsteps in the oozing muck of the ground, heading towards her crime scene. However, she also found a pair of shoes just outside the fence. Perhaps her fugitive was smarter than she thought.

She followed the trail of impressions in the dirt, hoping for something which would help her explain what was going on. Something in the back of her head, a voice, told her that all was not as it seemed. And she knew herself that nothing fit into the puzzle of her case. Why would a guy who had a bloody knife dump it in a random garden, or at all? Where were the bodies? _Who _were the bodies? Sara had all these questions inside her head as she and Vega continued on their way along the path.

"Wait." Sara said suddenly, as her well-trained eyes spotted something far to her right, away from the house.

"What? What is it?" Vega said, following her strict instructions and stopping on cue.

"What is this?" Sara said, as she veered off the footprint trail and walked to the object. As the white light of her flashlight came upon the object, Sara's heart started to beat harder. Little lace lambs and bunnies stared back at her as they lay on a soft cotton blanket of forget-me-not blue, which was bordered in more of the lace. The blanket, though very small, was laid flat over something.

Sara stared at the blanket for a long time, not knowing if she wanted to look under it or not. Suddenly, the blanket cried, or at least the something under it did, and Sara found herself drawn to the blanket. She knelt down by the blanket, which made another pained cry, and slowly she lifted the corner of the fabric.

Her face paled at the sight in front of her. Placed underneath the blanket was not one, but two babies; two twin boys not yet a year old, were lying on the hard, cold ground. One baby was reaching up for human contact, for the warmth and help of anyone, for his parents, as he wailed pitifully up at Sara. The other baby, however, did not do any of these things. His sleeper, a pale yellow in colour, was now stained with what little blood his tiny body contained.

"Vega!" Sara screamed. "Call the paramedics, now!"

* * *

Greg Sanders raced through the hallways of Desert Palms Hospital, desperately trying to find out where Sara was. He turned the corner towards the Emergency Room registration, and turned towards the older woman in the room, behind the plastic wall. "Excuse me?" He asked her in a voice that was filled with anxiety. "Can you tell me where Sara Sidle is?"

"Sara Sidle?" The woman said as she blew a bubble with her gum, making it pop loudly. "I'll check hon."

"Th-thanks." Greg replied, as he walked a little to the side to let other people through to the woman. Greg willed his pulse to slow, and his breathing to return to normal, but he was worried sick. He didn't even know what was wrong. He would prefer if he did know, no matter what it was. All he and Nick heard when they returned from their scene, which had a disheartening amount of evidence, was that Sara had been rushed to the hospital. That was all that was known. And that wasn't good enough for Greg. Nick had promised to handle the evidence while he went ahead to the hospital, as long as Greg promised to phone him with an update as soon as he got one.

"Hey, young man." The older woman called over to Greg. "I'm sorry, she's not here. Not in the database."

"What?" Greg asked, his pulse starting to race even more. "That can't be…are you sure?"

"Greg?" He wheeled around at his name, and saw Sara just walk in behind him, a cup of coffee in her hand. "What are you doing here?"

Uttering a quick almost unintelligible thank you to the lady in registration, Greg bounded over to Sara and embraced her. "Sar! You're okay!"

Managing to hold on to her coffee without spilling it, she quickly hugged him back, slightly surprised at his affection. "Yeah, I'm okay! What made you think I wasn't?"

Greg backed off a bit to take in the sight of her. She seemed all right physically, but Greg could tell that something wasn't right with her. Her face was much paler than it usually was, and there was an undeniable darkness to her eyes, and the way her mouth was set. Something had happened tonight.

Greg knew better than to address it too directly with Sara. "Well, when we got back to the lab, all we heard was that you had been rushed to the hospital…God Sara, we were scared to death. What happened? Why are you here, if you're okay?"

Greg saw her lips and eyes darken some more. "I was on my scene, not too far from yours, and I followed some tracks, trying to find out where my trespasser came from."

"…And?" Greg goaded her on, now wondering what she could have found that would have her looking so sad.

"Follow me." Sara said, taking Greg's left hand with her free one. She led him down towards the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital, and kept walking down along the hallways.

"Sara, where are we going?" Greg asked her after a while of walking down hallways and counting out numbers. "What's going on?"

"Here." Sara said, answering his question for him. Greg looked up, and Sara led him in to a little room. Greg entered the room, occupied only by a single bed. Greg watched Sara walk in and stand next to a special bed, with raised sides. Sara reached her hand in to the bed, and curiously Greg walked up next to her, to watch her stroke the soft blonde hair of the baby boy inside. Greg gasped at the sight of the poor child, his little arms hooked up with what seemed like hundreds of wires that were taped to his frail body. He was breathing through a tube; he could not breathe normally with his throat slashed like that. Greg could see the jaggedness of the cut as he looked upon the baby's face in a pained sleep, and then on Sara's. She gazed as if in a daze upon the sweet, innocent infant face, still trailing her fingers through his soft blonde hair, just starting to get some body to it. The baby…he looked familiar to Greg.

"It's not fair." She said, suddenly.

"What?" Greg responded, not expecting Sara to speak. Her voice had an element of bitterness in it that worried Greg.

"This poor baby may very well die, for what?" Sara asked Greg, her voice shaking. "This poor baby…what could he have possibly done to anger anyone this much?"

"Sara…" Greg started, but before he could say anything else, a nurse appeared in the doorway.

"Ms. Sidle." She said, holding another baby boy in her arms. "The doctors have checked him out, and they say that he can be released tonight. Have child services arrived yet?"

"Yes, they're in the main entrance." Sara said quietly. "Are you _sure _I can't take him?"

Greg looked at her incredulously. "I'm sorry, Ms. Sidle, but as a member of LVPD, you know the rules. The baby goes into protective services until the parents or guardians come, and when this little guy pulls through, he will too."

Sara sighed. "I understand." Though Greg also heard her mumble something under her breath. Sara lifted her head. "May I have him for a second? To say good-bye, I mean."

The nurse nodded, and handed the little boy over to Sara's arms. She left, and Sara and Greg were alone with the children. Greg watched as Sara coddled the little boy lovingly. He was stunned. He remembered hearing Sara say she couldn't manage kids at all. What was this? She was acting so maternal Greg was not even sure this _was _Sara. He looked from one baby to the other. "Twins, huh? Double the trouble."

"And the cruelty." Sara said. "I just don't get it, Greg. What happened out there tonight? Where did these kids come from?"

Greg looked at her. "You mean you don't know where their parents are? They weren't dead on the scene…?" Greg trailed off.

"No, I got called to a simple trespassing, where some guy had a bloody knife…" Sara trailed off also, as she noticed Greg's piercing stare. "What?"

"Oh no…" Greg muttered. "You know what Sara? I know who the parents of these kids are."

Sara looked towards Greg again. "You _know _them? Well, who are they? _Where _are they?"

Greg looked towards Sara's eager face. Now he knew why these twins were so familiar. The pictures hanging on the wall…the arterial spray tainting the glass, as it dripped down the walls, as if they were crying crimson tears for what happened. He felt the sweat on his hands. This was not good. "Sara…these kids…their parents are the DB's from our scene."

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**Well, I hope you like, and are intrigued, by the first chapter:) Next chapter will be up sometime in the next few days, if my teachers be nice, haha.**


	2. From A Double To A Triple

**A/N: Thanks for the great response! I appreciate every comment, and I'm glad that you all like it. Hopefully, I will continue to please. Now, this chapter is shorter and not as interesting, but it leads in to the story more, so I think it's necessary. Next chapter (I think) starts to get good. For now, enjoy!

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CHAPTER 2: FROM A DOUBLE TO A TRIPLE

Greg and Sara walked up through the hallway of the crime lab, both with grim and set faces. The discovery that both of their crime scenes were connected was not only disturbing, but it only raised more questions than answers. Sara knew she needed to see what Greg and Nick had come up with. Greg had left so quickly after hearing she had been brought to the hospital that he didn't even know what they had found at the scene.

"Sara, what do you think this means?" Greg asked, after walking along the hall, looking for his scene partner. "If that man and woman that had their throats slashed at our scene were those kids' parents, then why did the killer leave the kids?" Sara remained silent, but Greg could see that she was keeping her eyes peeled for something. She was intent on finding Nick. "Maybe the killer showed remorse?"

Sara sighed. "I don't know Greg, that doesn't make sense."

Sara turned on the spot, down another hallway, almost leaving Greg to go in the wrong direction. He turned on his heel, and sped up to walk in line with her. "Why do you say that?"

"Greg, you saw the little boy…" She huffed a little. "Those poor kids, we don't even know their names…one of them is fighting for his life in the hospital, with the same wounds as his parents. Why would they go after one, and not the other? No…" She finished, finally seeing Nick through the trace lab's glass walls, talking with Hodges, "there is something we're missing." And she started at a jogging pace towards Nick, with Greg at her heels.

As Nick was walking out, a file in his hand, he looked up and saw Sara and Greg approaching. His eyes lit up, and he headed towards them. "Sara, you're alright! I was worried, none of us knew what had happened to you, or if you were okay!"

"I'm fine, Nick." Sara said, taking her friend into an embrace as she had done with Greg. "Well…not really."

Before Nick could reply, Greg cut in. "Nick, our scene…do you remember the pictures on the wall?"

Nick looked at Greg and then to Sara, not knowing where they were steering the conversation. "Yeah, I do. The pictures had a family of four, and the adults - our two DB's - were identified was Laura and Damien Powell."

"Didn't you see their kids?" Sara asked, and both Greg and Nick looked towards her. Both noticed the irritation in her voice.

"N-no, no I didn't see them at the scene, but now that you mention it, some of the pictures had twins in them. Yeah, and the file on Laura says she gave birth to twin boys about ten months ago. Their names were Matthew and Gabriel, if I'm…" The light bulb in Nicks head lit up. "What about the kids?"

"Your missing twin boys and the twin boys I found are the one and the same." Sara said starting to walk towards the break room. She heard the footsteps of the men behind her, trying to keep up. "That means that the guy who took the kids may also have been your killer."

"No way, what?" Nick said, turning into the break room with the rest of his coworkers. "You found little kids out on your scene? Are they okay?"

Once again, Greg saw a shadow cross over Sara's face. "One of the baby's throats was cut. He's in the hospital in critical condition. They don't know if he's going make it."

"Aww no." Nick said, his Texan accent thickening as he spoke. Nicolas Stokes was a big softie, and out of all the CSI's at the lab, consistently held the most compassion towards every case. And all the CSI's felt it when kids were involved. "That's just not right."

"Well, nothing can be helped now." Sara said, sitting down at the large conference table in the break room. "What we need to do now is to compile what we know, and figure out who did this, and why."

Greg looked up at her. "Find out the why, Sara? I thought we were not supposed to care about the why."

"We're not supposed to care about a lot of things, Greg." Sara retorted, causing Greg to inwardly cringe. "However, we're human. And we can't help but care. So," She said, getting right back to business. "I've already briefed Greg on my scene, and logged what little evidence I could find. Now all I can do is wait to see if the knife I found matches the blood of your victims, and mine." She paused for a second, waiting for Nick to respond. He didn't. "Well?" Sara said, bringing the man to life, "Nick? Aren't you going to tell us what you found on the scene?"

Nick looked to Greg, who shrugged his shoulders. He cleared his throat, as he always did in uncomfortable situations, and started. "Well, when we arrived, there were just two bodies, Laura and Damien Powell. Both were found with the same wounds, a slashed throat." He paused, and looked at Sara apprehensively. "We…didn't end up with much from the scene."

"What do you mean?" Sara asked, her deep brown eyes boring holes into Nick's skull. "You must have found something."

"I'm not sure yet, but…I doubt we do. The best we can hope for is a few prints, all I could find were smudges, and no hairs…you found our murder weapon, hopefully."

"Nothing?" Sara repeated. "There couldn't have been _nothing, _Nick. There had to be _something._"

"Now, don't get upset, Sara. I don't know yet. It depends on what turns up from the lab."

Sara was about to come back with another comment, but by chance she seemed to catch Greg's startled eyes looking imploringly at her. She knew he saw a change in her. So she bit her tongue. "Okay then." Sara said instead, standing up. "Well, I can't stay here waiting. Nick, can you stay here, wait around for the results? I'm going to take a walk for a bit, get a bit of fresh air."

"Sure Sara." Nick replied to her. She smiled in response, and headed out the doors, towards the main entrance to the lab. When she was out of earshot, Nick turned towards Greg, who was still sitting in deep though, staring where Sara used to be. Nick nudged him out of his stupor. "What's up with Sara man? What happened tonight?"

Greg sighed. "I don't have the slightest clue," He stared after where she had walked down the hall. "But I'm going to find out." And he left poor Nick, completely lost, as he jumped up and out after Sara.

He found her leaning against the wall of the entrance, her eyes closed and her hair blowing about in the pre-dawn winds. The coolness of the morning brought out a light blush on her cheeks, and for a second, she seemed to be in a little peace. Greg knew she was far from it, and Sara knew that Greg knew.

"Sara?" Greg called out softly to her as he approached, not wanting to startle her.

"I'm sorry Greg." She said, not bothering to open her eyes. The wind blowing past her cheeks was refreshing, after getting too worked up in the break room, and the hospital. Even though she had been out in the fresh air undisturbed only for a few seconds, she could feel the tension lifting from her. "I know I'm getting too worked up by the case, you're right. I need to be less connected. I can help the kids more like that."

Greg smiled. Sara seemed like her old self again. "That's good to hear. We were starting to think that you were gonna burn out on us."

Sara chuckled. "I'm not ready to throw in the towel just yet." She looked up at the horizon, where the low clouds were darkened by the oncoming sun. The sky was coloured in layers; it started with black at the top, still glittered by wayward stars, and descended into purple, then hues of blended oranges, yellows, and fiery red where the celestial sun was about to peer over the edge of the world. She became solemn again. "Matthew and Gabriel Powell…one of them is fighting for his life this very minute, and both are without parents anymore. I don't know what's different about this Greg, but I feel…obligated to help them. I feel it's my responsibility."

"It is." Greg simply said, coming up beside her and joining her, leaning against the wall and looking towards the sunrise. "It's our job to help people, all victims, who can't help themselves. It's just to make sure we can continue to help others that we're told to stay impassive. It's a rule that's there to help us. However…" Greg added, "You are entitled to your share of personal cases. No one will judge you for it. And if it makes you feel any better, I'll do whatever I can, too, to help these kids."

Sara looked up at Greg as his face, which was turned towards her as well, was hit by the bright red light of the sun as it made its way above the horizon. The both of them looked at each other, but quickly turned away, blushing. However, the moment was short lived.

"Greg, Sara."

The both of them turned to see Grissom and Warrick returning from their crime scene, armfuls of evidence in tow. "Hey Grissom." They greeted together, "Warrick."

Warrick Brown, a tall intimidating African American with sea green eyes and a sweet disposition, greeted them with a nod of his head, since his arms were full. Gilbert Grissom, an older man with greying hair and an amazing intelligence, walked up to them, however, instead of following his colleague in to the lab. "Okay, I hear that your two cases are connected. Is that true?"

Sara looked up at Greg, and then turned towards their supervisor. "We think so. Nick is in the lab, waiting around for our evidence to be processed. Until then, we wait."

"Wrong." Grissom replied, taking a free hand and reaching in to his pocket. His hand returned from the deep recesses of his jacket, holding a slip of paper. "This just came in. Since Nick can call you whenever your evidence is processed, he can stay and wait. You two go."

"But Grissom." Sara reacted, "we're working a really important case right now, and we hardly know anything."

Grissom, through his glasses, looked at her with his intelligent, knowing blue eyes. "Detective Vega said that he wanted you on this one. I think you'll find it extremely helpful to your case now."

Sara's eyes narrowed. "C'mon Greg." She pulled on his arm, down towards the crime scene vehicle even before Grissom had walked into the lab. "We've got to get to the scene."

* * *

Detective Sam Vega was speaking to the early morning jogger that had found the corpse when Sara and Greg pulled up to the deserted parking lot of a small convenience store. As the pair got out of their vehicles, Vega looked up and saw Sara, and gestured her towards him as he let the jogger on his way. Sara did so while Greg retrieved their kits from the back of the vehicle. As she approached Vega, he started to walk towards the yellow crime scene tape. In silence they walked towards the Caucasian man who lay in a pool of his own blood in the middle of the parking lot. Sara grimaced looking at him.

The man was in his thirties, but looked anything but successful. His jacket was flimsy and old, and his shoeless feet were scratched and bloody. He wore a hat, pulled over his greasy hair and forehead. His body extremities were splayed in all directions, and his face, which was grimy, looked terrified. His injuries, though hard to determine through the dirt and blood, were varied.

"This is him, isn't it?" Sara said, as Greg walked up beside her. She looked to Vega. "This is the guy who left the knife, took the kids…the guy who was trespassing at that home earlier."

"Looks like it." Vega said, looked again at the scruffy, dirty man. "Yuck, he's a mess. It looks like someone took a giant fly swatter to him."

It was true. Upon closer look, the man's chest was flattened, and a faint tire tread could be seen on the dark patterns of his plaid jacket. Greg leaned in for a closer inspection.

"Vega, when was this man found?" Sara asked, looking away from the body for the first time since she got there. "And do you have an I.D.?"

"Yes on both accounts." Vega replied. "This is Carl Portman, age thirty-two. He is currently unemployed, and has been living on the streets for about six months now. He was found by a jogger early this morning, around 5:30 a.m."

"That's only a couple of hours after the time I found Matthew and Gabriel Powell." Sara said, more to herself than anyone. "This might be the guy who attacked them."

"Maybe." Greg said, as he looked at the man's head. "Hmm…" Greg said, taking up the camera from around his neck, "Look's like he was shot in the head also. Maybe there's a casing under the…" He gasped.

"Greg?" Sara said, leaning down next to him, "what is it?"

Greg had paled all of a sudden, and had stopped processing. "Sara…" Greg said, "Look at this."

Sara looked at Greg curiously, but did as he asked. She knelt down next to Greg and the body, and looked to where Greg was tilting the body's head towards the side a bit to expose his shoulder, and Sara too, felt her blood run cold. She saw what Greg had seen, and knew that it meant that this case got a whole lot harder, and dangerous.

"A red and black Komodo dragon. And it's crossed out."

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**Ooh!!!! What do we have here? Please R&R and feel free to give me advice, if there's something that you feel need improving!**


	3. Introducing Mr Trouble

**Well, I managed to get this in, but I MAY have neglected writing up my History notes...lol, oh well...I still have another few weeks til that test...now, thanks to all who reviewed, I appreciate all the comments (Kegel, you keep me on my toes with all the questions...I really do appreciate that, it helps keep my story straight, and makes me think about how I write, and what I can do to improve:D) Now, here ya go, hope you enjoy!

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CHAPTER 3: INTRODUCING MR.TROUBLE

The weight of the discovery of that cursed tattoo plagued Sara and Greg as they processed the scene. The both of them kept casting furtive, paranoid glances over their shoulders, even though police officers were littering the area like the pieces of trash that blew carelessly in the wind. The sun was still low in the sky meaning it was still a long way until noon, but the relentless sun bore down upon them, making the air sickly warm, and thick with moisture.

Sara and Greg were sweating from more than the heat however. Greg took one of his sleeves and wiped the sweat from his forehead which was starting to drip in to his eyes, and looked over at Sara, who seemed to be in a daze. He understood this time why she would be lost in her own thoughts.

That Komodo dragon…the crime lab had seen that tattoo come up only recently, but they were seeing it become all too common. Whenever they saw that mark on someone, they knew that Santosa Perkasa was involved. Perkasa was the new casino owner on the strip who moved to Las Vegas nearly two years ago from Indonesia.

Greg sighed as he made his way over to blood spatter a bit away from the body. If Perkasa was involved with these killings, it was not likely that they would get anything probative. Santosa Perkasa had no conscience, but he had a brain, and only hired the best people to do his dirty work.

Greg swabbed the blood, already starting to dry up from the heat leaving only a stain on the blacktop. Though Perkasa had only been in town for two years, he was already renowned by all the local casino big-shots for his cruelty and ruthlessness. No one crossed him and what he wanted, he got.

"Sara." Greg called over to her. She turned her head from where she was photographing tire treads. Greg got up, stretching his cramped legs in the process, and started over towards her. "You know who is behind this, don't you?"

Sara nodded solemnly. "That tattoo represents everything he's about. Black and red for the casinos he owns. The Komodo dragon represents his past in Indonesia, and his toxicity and ferocity." Sara looked away momentarily to regain her composure, and then back at him. "What do you think was Perkasa's connection to these kids and their parents?"

"I don't know." Greg replied slowly as he thought it out. "I think, though, that there is a definite connection. The fact that one of his goons was there, and the fact that he is now dead has got to be connected somehow." Sara looked away again. "Sara?"

"I'm scared, Greg."

"Scared?" Greg questioned her, jumping a little in front of Sara to look her in the eye. "Look around you, Sara. There's a ton of police guards around here. Besides, not to be a downer, but it's not like he'll get caught, or go after us. He has so many loyal hit men that we'd never be able to trace him."

"No, no Greg." Sara said. She took her arms and rubbed her arms, as if she were cold. In truth, the suspicions and fears she felt was causing her to feel shivery. "Greg, you agree with me, right? What Santosa Perkasa wants, he gets."

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with us?" Greg said, looking curiously at Sara.

Sara looked up at him frustrated. "Don't you see? Matthew and Gabriel, Greg. One of them is perfectly healthy, and the other…well, he's not dead yet. I can only assume that he wanted them dead as well, for whatever reason. And they're not. What is going to do now?"

She knew that she had struck something with him. She could see his eyes grow in realization, and she knew he realized exactly the same thing she did. However, he quickly recovered. "Sara, don't worry." He turned away from her, and went back to the body, where the evidence he had collected was laid, so that she could not see his face. "The boys are safe. One is in the hospital, the other in child services. Not even Santosa Perkasa's men would try anything." He turned and gave a reassuring smile. "No need to worry, k?"

Sara smiled back, though she was not entirely convinced of Greg's words. With anyone else, those kids were much protected. With Santosa Perkasa after the, she wasn't sure at all. "You ready to head back now?" She asked Greg, after taking the last few pictures of tire treads. In her mind, she heard the screech of tires as whoever had been driving accelerated, aiming the vehicle right at the frightened form of Carl Portman.

"Yeah, there is nothing else here that I can see." Greg said. Just as he did, his pager started to ring simultaneously with Sara's. Without bothering to look at the number, Greg gave a small smirk. "I guess its good timing. Sounds like Nick found something."

* * *

After logging in the very few pieces of evidence from their latest crime scene, Greg and Sara met with Nick in one of the layout rooms. He was standing in front of one of the illuminated tables, looking at a bunch of photographs. Sara knocked on the glass wall to announce their arrival, and then both she and Greg walked in to see what he was looking at. 

"Okay, I don't have any results from trace yet," Nick began, still rearranging the photos, not bothering to look up, "but I did go to Dr. Robbins, to ask if he found anything suspicious about the bodies. Surprise surprise, the COD was haemorrhage due to their carotid and jugular being cut."

"Well, that's unusual," Greg cynically stated, "considering their throats were slit."

Nick gave him a scowl. He cleared his throat. "That's not what was so unusual, smart-ass. Here." He said, picking up a photo of the dead body of Laura and holding them up. "He found some odd markings on her thigh. Look familiar?"

Sara and Greg's mouths dropped open. The scarring on her thigh was prominent, and still coloured. It was easy to tell, though it was obviously done without a precision tool, that someone had carved a Komodo dragon into Laura Powell's thigh.

"What does this mean?" Sara whispered.

"Matthew and Gabriel, and their parents being attacked, one with a makeshift Komodo dragon, and that guy, with the crossed out tattoo…" Greg counted it out on the fingers of his hand. "What do they all have in common with Perkasa?"

"The guy in the parking lot had a Komodo dragon?" Nick asked, surprised. He knew that Sara and Greg had gone to another crime scene related to their present case…he hadn't known about that. "You mean he was one of Santosa Perkasa's guys?"

"You meanhe _was_ one of his guys." Greg corrected, finally tearing his eyes from the photo, to which Sara was still staring. "He's dead now. Besides, the dragon was crossed out. It either means one of two things. One, he quit being paid by Perkasa, or…"

"…he double-crossed him." Nick finished for Greg. Something came to Nick's mind. "You know, if this guy was the only one at our primary scene, why would he not kill all of them? I'm sure that was his plan, if Gabriel has his throat cut as well."

"…Gabriel was the one with his throat cut?" Sara interrupted, slowly averting her eyes from the picture as well. "How do you know?"

"In a minute, Sara…" Nick said.

"Well, the only reason I can think of for why he didn't kill the boys is…remorse?" Greg chanced a guess.

"If that is true, then why did he even take them?" Nick countered. "He could have kept the kids there and made a faster getaway. I mean, they were probably better off in a warm house than in the cold outdoors. There's only one reason why he would take the kids."

"He was protecting them." This time Sara spoke up. "He was taking them away from the person who was killing them. There wasn't one person, there were two." Here, Sara started to pace the room, still putting pieces into the scenario puzzle. "Perkasa hired two people to kill the Powell family. They killed the parents first, since they posed the biggest threat. When they got to the kids, however, our parking lot vic got guilty. Somehow, he got the kids after Gabriel got his throat cut, maybe threw a few punches, and ran."

"That sounds great, Sara," Greg said, looking at his friend wear a hole in the floor. "And it would be awesome if the evidence we found proved that, but…"

"What is it, Greg?" Sara said, pausing her pacing.

"That doesn't really help us." Greg finished. "I mean, I doubt we will get anything to point to that other guy who was at the house. And looking at Santosa Perkasa's record of evading the police, it's a long shot that we'd get anything to convict him of anything."

Sara looked at Greg, and then to Nick who would not look up to meet her eyes. "I can't believe this. Greg, I thought you were more optimistic than this. Look at what we have going for us! This time, he didn't get it done right the first time. He's slipping. It gives us such a chance! And he didn't have time to hide any of the bodies this time, like he did with the rest. No cleaning up. And now, it's our turn. We have the chance to catch this guy once and for all before he gets the chance to hurt anyone else." Greg and Nick looked at each other, but nodded.

Sara smiled. "Thank you."

"Yeah, but what do we do now?" Greg said, leaning against the table. "We still have nothing to compare _anything _to. This is just empty speculation until we have our evidence processed."

"Well, Greggo, you and I are done with work. Shift's up. Tomorrow we can get our info straightened out." Nick patted Greg's shoulder exaggeratedly.

"Well, what do I do? Go crawl under the table?" Sara said, feigning hurt. "I'm off shift as well."

"That's true." Nick said, looking at Sara. "But I'm pretty sure you'll go to the hospital before anything else."

Sara looked curiously at Nick. "Why's that…?" And then she remembered what Nick had said before. "Gabriel! You mentioned Gabriel."

"Yeah, someone from the hospital phoned the lab while you and Greg were gone…"

"Is he okay?" Sara quickly asked.

Nick laughed lightly. "He's awake now." Sara's face immediately lightened, as if a dark cloud that was hanging over her suddenly dissipated. "However, they want someone with him. Since you went in with him, and you seemed to, as they say, 'have a keen interest in his well-being,' they wanted to know if you wanted to visit him."

Sara blushed a little at Nick's comment from the hospitals, but Greg piped in before she could explain herself. "It's okay Sara. You go on, and let us know tomorrow how the little guy is doing. Then, hopefully, our evidence will yield some answers for us."

Sara's smile widened. "Thanks guys. Goodnight." She walked out of the layout room while her two friends wished her the same.

They stood there for a minute in silence, both contemplating what would happen in the future. As Greg was making to leave, Nick asked him to stop. He turned around.

"What's up Nick?" He replied, seeing Nick's eyes closed in worried thought.

"I don't know about this Greg." Nick said, his voice low enough that Greg had to strain to hear him. "There's something about this that I don't like."

Greg sighed, and his voice also fell to a whisper. "I know."

"I mean," Nick continued, "Santosa Perkasa is involved. I know he's relatively new, but he's a menace. And more than the fact that he has the brains to pull off anything, but he also has the money. It's a lethal combination."

"I know."

"And Sara…she's getting too emotionally involved with those kids. It's like she got sprinkles with maternal…fairy dust when she saw those kids. And when she gets like this, she's liable to do anything."

"I know, Nick."

Nick looked up. "So, what are we going to do?"

Greg swallowed. He was the newbie in relation to all his shift peers. He wasn't the one who usually had the plan. How did he get in this position this time?

He wasn't the only one who was scared of Santosa Perkasa.

"We make sure Sara stays out of trouble. Until then, I guess we wait."

* * *

**Stay tuned! The next chapter gets spicy. Oh, and if anyone wants to talk about the last episode of CSI with me, PM me...haha, really want to talk about that episode!!! Thanks to CSIGranger7 for the chat!**


	4. At War With The Dragon

**A/N: Haha, okay, I like the name fo this chapter:) Random, I know. Hey, thanks to EVERYONE who is reading/reviewing. Refer to previous gushings of how awesome you gys are. Okay, I have a chem test on Friday, so...I guess we'll see when I get time to post again. In the meanwhile, I hope you enjoy, and if you see anything wrong technically, let me know...this was posted (not written) a bit rushed. Enjoy!!!

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CHAPTER 4: AT WAR WITH THE DRAGON

Suddenly she was afraid to look upon the little body in the bed. She heard faint gurgling coming from Gabriel, who she could not see, but she had to concentrate. All she could seem to hear was the constant beep-beeps of the monitoring equipment if his vitals. However, she walked forward when she heard a little squeal, compelled by an unknown force to comfort the little boy whose life she saved by pure chance.

The echoes of her steps were deafening to her, and it wasn't until she had reached the edge of the little bed that she realized how apprehensive she was. She wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans, and took a steadying breath as she peered inside.

Though he was still hooked up to the wires, his throat was not pierced by a tube, feeding him nourishing oxygen. It was wrapped in light gauze, and a collar helped to keep his head straight. Gabriel looked up at Sara with deep cerulean eyes that reminded her of Grissom's except for one thing. These eyes showed the vulnerability of a baby boy who had nearly died. He wanted help. He wanted her to hold him. He held up his hand, extending his five small fingers, still with folds of baby fat on them.

Sara pursed her lips, trying to keep her tears at bay. She reached out one of her own fingers towards the baby, who grasped it. Gabriel smiled; he was not able to laugh without it paining, and though he was only a year old, it looked as if he understood that concept after learning it the hard way.

Sara sighed, and bit her lip as she stared at Gabriel. Why was she feeling like this? She had never liked kids. She never thought she would. She thought that, after seeing how her mother handled her kid so well, abandoning her at a young age to kill her abusive husband, she should never look after kids. She was just born without any maternal skill.

Now, looking at the small figure, frail and vulnerable lying in front of her, she wasn't sure.

She wasn't aware of the passing of time, lost in thought as she was. Every time she saw Gabriel, a fire started to burn inside of her, and a familiar rage came back…one she had been told to banish long ago. Seeing the damages in Gabriel that Santosa Perkasa had done, she felt she needed to get revenge. She wanted to get him for all the things he did, especially to Matthew and Gabriel.

However, an hour and a half later, the nurse came in to check on the baby, who had fallen asleep with her finger still gripped, and Sara slowly made her way home, to get some sleep so she could actually be of some help to Matthew and Gabriel.

She didn't know how she could beat the seemingly hopeless odds of besting Santosa Perkasa, but she knew that she would never be able to sleep peacefully again until she had.

* * *

Sara shot up, her eyes wide open and gasping for breath. She could feel the cold sweat running down her back, causing her to shiver, and she willed her heart to stop beating so hard, causing harsh pains in her chest. She looked over to her bedside table, where her clock was displaying in large red numbers the time. There was still an hour until her alarm was set to go off, and another two before she was due in to work. The cell phone next to her clock was buzzing repeatedly, nearly popping over the edge on to the floor. 

Normally she would have been infuriated that someone had woken her up so early, though in fact it was nearly ten at night. However, she felt like thanking the person on the other line. The dream she had had was just too vivid, and she felt the ripping of her heart even thinking of it. However, that nightmare of watching the identical boys be killed in front of her while she was helpless to stop it only fuelled the fire inside of her.

Sara picked up the phone, and saw _G. Sanders _appear on the screen. She quickly pressed the talk button and greeted him. "What's up?"

"_Sara?" _Greg's voice on the other end sounded a bit tired, but it never held the fatigue like Sara's voice did. _"How quickly can you get ready?"_

Sara was taken back. "Umm…in a few minutes, if I rush…why?"

"_Just meet me in front of your apartment." _And he hung up on her before she could ask any more questions. Sara stared at the phone as if it would spontaneously give her the answers she wanted, but she didn't have time. She hopped out of bed, and ran full-tilt to her shower.

As she had predicted, in a few minutes she was ready, stuffing an apple into her mouth. She was perfectly ready for the night ahead of her, though her hair was still wet and held back with a hair band, errant pieces hanging out at her ears which she had to continuously flick back. And as Greg had said, his vehicle pulled up not two minutes afterwards. Running down the steps and grabbing her kit along the way, she ran to the passenger side of the vehicle and jumped in. While she caught her breath from the rushing about, Greg pulled out and headed in the direction of their next scene.

Still breathing hard, Sara looked at Greg. "Seems like we can't get a break, can it?"

Greg looked forward, not even attempting to glance in Sara's direction. "Not really." He sighed, and rotated his shoulders. "I haven't been in to work all that long, but some of our evidence has been processed."

Sara was still slightly sleepy, but this piece of information was enough to keep her awake on their trip to wherever. "Really? What did we find?"

"Well, since Nick and I were the first ones to log in our evidence, we were processed first, along with your primary scene's evidence. Well, we found some muddy shoe impressions. Not surprising. Also not very surprising is the fact that there were two impressions. One matched the pair of shoes that you found at your scene. So after further testing, we found some DNA in the sweat in your sneaker and it does match out parking lot DB."

"Well, we were right on our theory so far." Sara said, biting around the edges of the apple core she still held. "There was more than one person at the scene. Anything else?"

Greg nodded, still refusing to meet her gaze. It was starting to concern Sara. "The blood on the knife that you found in the garden has multiple donors. One of those donors, based on common alleles, was very closely related to two others."

"That must be Gabriel, and his parents." Sara said, taking her apple core and putting it in a plastic bag in the back of the vehicle. "There's nothing here that surprises me, Greg."

"There was another donor."

"Oh…" Sara said, leaning back in her seat, giving up on making Greg look at her. "Well, that's good. Does it match Carl Portman, the guy from the parking lot?"

"Now you see that's the interesting part." Greg replied. "It doesn't match any of our current players…yet. I asked Wendy to bump up that sample to top priority, so we should have it today."

"That's awesome." Sara said. She looked towards Greg again. His gaze hadn't wavered. Sara frowned. "Greg," She ventured, still looking at him from the side, "where is our next scene?"

Greg bit his lip, and started drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. She had hit the nail on the head. "Greg, what is up? What are you keeping from me?"

"Uh…umm…" Greg stuttered, still not daring to look into her eyes. "Oh…Sara, umm…please try and keep an open mind about this, and please don't get upset, hear me out before you get any foolish ideas in your head and…" He finally chanced a tiny glance in her direction, and saw a half sceptical, half scared look. "We're headed towards the child services building."

The breath caught in Sara's throat. "W-what's the call?"

"Like I said, open mind." Greg said, turning towards the road again, an unsteady smile on his lips, "They think it's an attempted kidnapping."

Sara didn't know what to feel. Half of her wanted to feel relieved that the crook hadn't gotten their target. The other half knew that Santosa Perkasa was four steps ahead of them, all the time. He had sent more of his goons after Matthew. "Greg, is Matthew Powell okay?" She whispered these words, and she saw Greg tense.

That was why she was surprised, though pleasantly, when he told her that he was fine. Why would he be so cautious when speaking of the subject?

"How was Gabriel, Sara?" Greg tried to change the subject as he made a turn at an intersection. "You did go to see him yesterday?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yeah, I did." Sara said, all the foreign feelings returning to her at the memory of his tiny fingers wrapped around hers. "He seems fine. He's alert and doing what babies do. Greg," She added, before he could reply, "I need to do this."

Greg started to pale a bit. "Umm…do what, Sara?" He responded, starting to drum his fingers on the steering wheel again, "What do you mean?"

"I have to get more involved with these kids. You were wrong Greg, Santosa Perkasa can get at these kids. Look at what's happened already. He won't stop. For whatever reason, Greg, he won't stop until he has the heads of those poor boys. He's getting closer. What are you stopping for Greg?" While she had started talking, Greg had slowed the vehicle down, pulling off onto the side of the road. "We're not there yet."

"Sara." Greg's voice was strong. Stronger and more forceful than she had ever heard it. She turned, and he was staring at her, his deep brown eyes keeping her paralyzed. "Listen to me. For your sake, do _not_ get in over your head in this. You know yourself what Santosa Perkasa is capable of. You have evidence of it. He will kill you without so much as a second thought, and then you can do no one any good. Do you promise me you will not do anything?"

Sara looked at him with wide eyes, but she did not say a word. All she could do was to try and break his boring stare by looking away. He promptly took his hand and led her eyes back to face his. "_Promise_ me Sara!"

"…I can't do that, Greg." Sara whimpered, tearing her face away again and looking down. "I cannot make that promise to you. I'm sorry. I don't know, I've just gotten too attached to them. I made a vow Greg, and I can't make myself just forget it. I have to help these kids." A burst of fire entered her voice. "I will do whatever it takes to save these kids from that man."

She looked at Greg's frustrated face, and wondered what he would say next. He seemed adamantly concerned for her, afraid that she would do something foolish. His suspicions were not farfetched. He growled in dissatisfaction, but turned his head. "If you can't make me that promise, Sara, then at least promise me this. You will not, under any circumstances, do anything foolhardy without telling me or Nick. If we can't stop you from going after him, then I guess we're going to have to help you."

Sara grinned from ear to ear, and reached over to hug Greg. "Thank you." She spoke into his neck.

"No problem." Greg said, though he could feel the thick lie leave his lips as he leaned back and started to head for the crime scene again. He had temporarily gotten Sara out of treacherous water, but he had signed Nick and himself up to a whole lot of trouble that was only going to get worse from then on. Now they were at war with the dragon.

* * *

Nearly six hours later, Sara was dragging Greg up the familiar white hallway of Desert Palm's hospital. Greg was crestfallen at the once again lack of evidence of the crime scene, even though once again Perkasa's men had made a mistake. His men had done everything right. They had dismantled the cameras, shut down the alarm system, broken the lock perfectly. But somehow, one of them had made enough noise to awaken one of the many babies, which set off a cascade of wailings and screaming. It was enough to scare the men away. Amusing, in a way, that all it took to scare off two men were the tears of a baby. However, how close the men had come to stealing away Matthew was disturbing to both him and Sara. 

Poor Sara. Greg's soft heart broke seeing how saddened she was that she wasn't able to even see Matthew at the place. With all the precautions, no one was allowed near him. She could only gaze at his soft blonde hair, silvery white in the moonlight, and small arms wrapped around one of the child services advocates. As soon as they had processed the scene, they drove their evidence (which didn't even take up the backseat), logged it in, and stood in the locker room until Sara had had enough. She took Greg's hand, brought him to his car, and drove him to the hospital.

He knew where she was taking him, but he said nothing to her. She was on a mission. He could not tell why, but he knew that nothing could dissuade her. And he had made a pact with her now, to help her protect these kids.

He could never back out on a promise to Sara Sidle, even if he was playing with fire.

In his mind Greg though that maybe if they could keep the twins out of Perkasa's hands until their aunt, Rachel Powell came from England to get them and bring them away, they would be safe. He knew he was kidding himself. Perkasa would have them in his clutches by then. He would find a way. It was another week and a half until Rachel came.

Finally, Sara let go of Greg's hand, and walked silently into the darkened room. From the doorjamb, Greg could hear soft frightened whimpers coming from the bed where Sara was headed. Greg walked in too. The only light in the room came from the monitors lining the room, and from the blinds which were half shut, letting in the pale blue light of the moon and the yellow lights of the city. It wasn't a lot of light, but it was enough to cause shadows to dance across the ceiling and walls. Any one-year-old would be frightened, alone in this room with no one to save him from the nightmares.

He heard a soft cooing sound coming from his right side, and he turned. His eyes, adjusting to the darkness could make out Sara leaning on the bed, with her hand stretched into the bed, stroking the infants arm in a soothing gesture, gliding her finger up and down tickling it. He saw the infant's face, his eyes dark in the semi-light drooping with fatigue, but smiling up at Sara with a little-boy grin. However, he made no sound. He too, listened as Greg did.

The cooing, like that of a dove, was coming from Sara. Greg could see her move her lips, forming syllables of words that he could not make out because he did not want to make them out. He just listened to Sara's voice, the wonderful voice that she only used when something was special to her. Very special. And suddenly Greg knew that it was unfair to ask her to not get involved. Seeing how maternal she was acting, seeing how special this little boy was to her, Greg felt his heart give a tug. These kids were something special to them both.

Sara was willing to do whatever it took to save these kids from those that hunted them. And Greg knew that Sara was in so deep she would give her life to make sure these kids made it. And Greg would always give his life for Sara. That unbreakable bond was about to make Greg do the most dangerous thing he had ever done in his life. And looking at Sara, it was one of the easiest choices he had ever made.

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	5. Enter The Dragons Den

**A/N: Sorry for the wait. School has been busy busy busy with all of the Christmas stuff to do. And teachers start to pile it on around this time... (Mutters about incompetent principal...)…anyways, sorry for the wait, once more. Soon I'll be able to devote more time to it...after my physics quiz on Thursday! Hope you enjoy this new instalment though:)

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**CHAPTER 5: ENTER THE DRAGON'S DEN**

"_What did you say?!" Nick yelled, looking at Greg with a face that screamed his thoughts on Greg's obvious psychotic break._

"_Keep it down Nick!" Greg hissed lowly. He turned his head, looking up and down the hall. Seeing no one, he turned hastily back towards Nick. "Listen, you may not agree with it, but…"_

"_Agree with it?! Greg, you're going on a flipping suicidal mission, and for what? What are you even going to look for?"_

_Greg looked away. The truth was, he didn't know. "I-I've got to go, regardless." Greg said softly, avoid Nick's direct question. "You haven't seen Sara with those kids Nick. It…I don't know, I must have caught the same thing she did."_

"_What do you mean?" Nick asked, also less loudly. _

"_Sara took me to the hospital and I got a chance to see Gabriel awake…seeing that kid, all cut up like that…and Sara. She acted like that baby was her own. She was handling him and acting so motherly towards him. It had a weird effect on me, Nick. And now I know where she's coming from, getting so worked up."_

"_So what, you're going to get yourself killed because you've discovered the unknown father in you?" Nick said sardonically._

_Greg's face clouded over. "Maybe. But this is the only way to get ahead of Perkasa, and make sure he can never do this to anyone again."_

_Nick looked at Greg's face. He tried to think of any other argument he could to try and convince Greg to stay put, to not risk his life. But he couldn't. "So, what do you want me to do?"_

_Greg sighed in relief. He didn't need another enemy, and no one could get a better ally than Nick. "I don't want to get you directly involved if you don't have to. It will be best if I head in alone. You need to keep Sara off my trail. She would be sure to go after me, and we'd both be killed. Now, I will be back for my shifts as usual, but we can't talk about this anymore. I can't take the chance of any moles finding out and telling on me." Here Greg paused. He was about to entrust Nick with one of the most important treasures of his existence. "And If I don't come back, Nick, promise me this…you will protect her for me. And make sure those kids make it safely to their aunt."_

_Nick felt like telling Greg he was being ridiculous, that he wasn't speaking the truth about the possibility, but Nick saw the seriousness in his eyes. Greg was making him promise something vital. Nick nodded his understanding. Greg took in a breath, and headed in the opposite direction._

"_Wait, Greg." Nick said, grabbing him by his shoulders. Greg turned around to look at Nick. "Listen, we're in this together. If you get in to any trouble, contact me. I will be there in an instant, even if there's a chance we both get killed. And I'm making __you __promise __me__ that."_

_Greg grinned at Nick. "You do have a way with words. Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."_

"_Fair enough." Nick said, shaking his hand as if making it a business transaction. Nick didn't want to believe it was a shake of parting. And neither did Greg…

* * *

_

That memory of when Nick and Greg spoke was still fresh in Greg's mind, playing itself over and over like a movie he had just seen at the theatre. Greg had the day off, and planned on using it on his latest scheme, but he had to stop at the lab momentarily to entrust Nick with his last wishes. It took all of his effort to try and rid himself of the memory that made Greg want to run back to the comfort of the lab, but the adrenaline coursing through his body and the memory of the sensations he felt when he saw Gabriel with Sara made it impossible for him. He had to look towards his next target; The Dragon's Den, a large casino on the strip, was in his sights.

The building itself was daunting enough. It was at least four floors high, and he had no idea how many sublevels were hidden beneath the earth. The main floor's walls were composed of a clean and clear glass that allowed Greg to see in to the lobby, where many people were gathering. The guards at the front of the doors were imposing figures that made Greg's skin crawl. However, he knew that those who wanted to talk more privately with Santosa Perkasa took a different route. Since Greg had established himself in Las Vegas, and had made some more friends than the ones in the workplace, coupled with his fascination of the inner workings of the Las Vegas mobsters, he knew just where to go.

Greg looked in the mirror of his parked car once more, checking over his appearance. Greg wasn't torn up about the new clothes he now wore to work. Sure, the button shirts with the sweater vest was okay when at the lab, but he missed the days where he wore rock band t-shirts with just a lab coat over them. It was exactly what he wore now, along with his most worn, ripped pair of jeans. He wore sloppy sneakers that had just about walked their last mile, and he wore a black tuque pulled over his head, hiding all but a few stray dirty blonde curls. The finishing touch was the Komodo dragon, his tongue hissing into the air, which was on his neck. Greg made sure to expose it, and to not rub anything over it, as the pen ink it was drawn with may start to run, and blow his cover. Overall, he thought he looked the part.

However, all that confidence went shooting out the window when he turned the corner towards the Dragon's Den for the second time. He took a few deep readying breaths, and started to walk towards the main entrance. However, before he came to the main lobby door he stopped and, looking about him, started to walk along the sidewalk up the street once more. He walked until he came to the edge of the massive complex, and then turned down the side. Taking one of his hands, he dragged it along the smooth wall of the building, as he looked alertly about him. Finally reaching the end of the long building on the back, Greg saw that there was a pathway leading down to a door.

Greg nearly fainted when he saw how many people were there. He could only guess that there were fifty or more men and women there, and he judged that from their attitudes, state of dress and tempers that they were all either delinquent youths or thugs. Some of the people there were the most intimidating people Greg had even seen. Some reached six feet or more, and some were built and some were just mean looking.

Greg shoved his hands into his jeans pockets, and tried to look confident and cool, but he had a feeling that he was failing miserably. He turned around, but found that even more people had lined up behind him. There was no getting out now.

"_What the hell convinced me to come here?" _He thought wildly as his heartbeats started to quicken. _"What convinced me to come here on this suicide mission? You should have listened to Nick. What kind of an idiot am I?!" _

It was too late for him to save himself. Greg took a great breath, and as the line continued into the building, Greg followed. He was surprised. As soon as he walked in through the door, there was a flight of steps that went downwards. He looked out over the landing, and watched the procession of people descend down so far until the walls blocked them from view. Waiting in single file, Greg walked behind the line until they came to another door. Entering it, Greg was amazed at what was concealed under the bustling casino. It was like the upstairs main lobby. A rich red carpet covered the center of the room, and tables filled with people lined the walls, covered in a gold paint. The chandelier composed of crystal hanging low from the ceiling sent warm glittering light down into the room. The atmosphere made Greg feel like he was in a palace of the oriental.

Greg walked around the room, trying to take in all that was going on. Perhaps one of these men or women knew of Perkasa's plan, and maybe if he was lucky enough, he could catch a whisper of a motive, or a future planned attack.

Moving from group to group, he didn't seem to have much luck. All these people seemed to talk about were past crimes and punishments, and not a single thing was uttered about Perkasa for over an hour. Just as he was starting to lose hope at getting his plan to work, he caught the traces of the name, 'Powell' from a group near the front of the room. Stopping, and training his ears in the direction of the name, Greg walked quietly and subtly nearer to the group of three men who had mentioned the last name of the boys he was trying to protect.

"…heard that Perkasa has a huge reward out for the capture of these two Powell kids. I think they were twins?"

Greg stopped, now just a few feet away from the group and within earshot. He leaned against a chair casually, trying to get closer to the conversation without anyone being the wiser.

"I heard that, too." A big, gruff man said. His arms were sinewy with muscle, and he had scars tracing his skin like veins. "Powell, eh? Sounds like a familiar name. Who cares though? All I know is It'd be enough for me to be able to buy drugs and pay for relationships instead of working for 'em for the rest of my life."

"Wouldn't tha' be too good to be true?" Another large man said. This one had a slightly rougher voice, and by his looks, he was older than the other two. "I know not to question the boss, but wha' does Perkasa want with these kids any way's?"

"If you know better than to ask, than don't!" Snapped the first guy. Greg inwardly cursed at how he had come so close, and the key piece of information was ripped away. "I don't know. I don't think any of us lowly types knows. Only Perkasa and his greatest bodyguards know. And they won't tell."

"Still would be good to know why we're risking our freedom and lives to kill two little kids." A fourth man said. This man was lankier, but still looked strong enough to handle his own, and he had a wily look about him. "How could they pose any threat to Santosa Perkasa?"

Greg straightened up, knowing he wasn't going to get anything else from the men. As he walked away, he heard just how much was being offered for the capture, dead or alive, of the boys. It made Greg involuntarily shiver.

It was a million.

Greg started to walk away from the men, looking for something more to bring back to Nick than a sickeningly high head price. As he started to make his way through a group of people in the center of the room, a rich, red door opened at the far end of the room and the crowd burst into roaring cheers, catching Greg off guard. He quickly caught himself and started to look wildly around, trying to catch who had started the cheers. Pushing his way through the throng of people towards the edge of the crowd, he was finally able to catch a view of the people at the end of the room. There was a man surrounded on both sides by two of the biggest men he had ever seen. One of them still blocked the man, who had by now calmed the crowd and was addressing them.

Greg stopped, and started to listen as well.

"It may have come to your attention that I have set a task out that seems inappropriate. I assure you that I would not invest one million dollars to a worthless cause. The last group who tried to do what I have asked them have failed. Why, do you ask? Carelessness."

Greg listened to the foreign accent of the talking man with morbid curiosity. The cogs in his head started to turn; if he was right, then it was Santosa Perkasa himself talking to his dragon followers, and he was talking about the latest attack on little Matthew Powell.

"…carelessness is what has compromised the name of the dragons, and it must end. I add another half a million as reward to the man who brings me one, or both, twins. Each."

Another cheer erupted in the large hall, and one of the bodyguards moved just enough to let Greg finally peer upon the monster who incessantly hunted Matthew and Gabriel Powell.

Santosa Perksasa, though surrounded by imposing guards, was himself not imposing upon first glance at all. He was a small man with undeniable Indonesian descent. His skin was a light brown, and his hair was a deep black. He wore a black suit that made his small stature more obvious, but made him look professional. Though not a large man, he still scared Greg, making him feel like he was turning to stone. It was because of his dark, empty eyes that Greg cringed as he watched the man speak. At that instant, Perkasa turned his head, and it seemed to Greg, at least, that he chose to stare at him. When Greg met his eyes, he felt everything in his body turn arctic, but he could not turn away to break the stare. In that one instant that they locked eyes, Greg saw the evil and lack of conscience that coincided in Perkasa's body and mind.

He finally looked away, back towards the crowd, dismissing them from the premises for the night, but Greg could not pay attention to his words. The fear that the adrenaline was covering was finally starting to surface, leaving Greg flighty and nervous, not for himself, but for the twins. He had no idea that things were this bad. Not only was Perkasa sending some people on the hunt, but he had a whole army of people with nothing to lose out searching, and a three million reward on the twins' collective heads. It only made the urgency of finding more information, and thwarting his plans, higher.

"_Perkasa hasn't succeeded yet in destroying the twins, but tomorrow the luck could very well run dry for Matthew and Gabriel,"_ Greg thought as he started to make his way out of the building into the new dawn. After a few minutes of following the crowd of people up the stairway once more, he smelt the fresh air outside of the casino. The new light of another day felt god on his eyes after the artificial brightness of the chandelier. Greg lingered at the entrance, waiting for most of the people to walk away to avoid any questions, and soon after he making his way to his car. As he sat down in his car, he pictured the tiny boy in Sara's arms. _"I'm not about to let him get away with it."

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**Hope that is edited well enough...its getting late on the Rock, and I have a test tomorrow, so if you find any mistakes, let me know, and I'll edit it and repost. Look forward to comments or criticisms! Hope you enjoy! And PM me if you want to talk about the recent CSI going ons:)**


	6. Secrets And Motive

**Christmas is busy, all I can do to explain my absense. Sorry to all, will have a new chapter up later on, tomorrow at the latest, I promise! Here is the newest chapter, for now! Hope you enjoy, and late Happy Holidays, and in case my promise gets broken, an early Happy New Year!

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CHAPTER 6: SECRETS AND MOTIVE

"Okay Sara, what are we looking for?" Nick asked the brunette as she stooped over an overturned shelf.

"Nothing specific." She replied, taking one of her gloved hands and looming at some papers. "I'll know when I find it."

Nick shook his head in wondering disbelief. First Greg was gone into dangerous territory doing who knows what, and now Sara was looking at old crime scenes for 'nothing specific'. Nick looked at his watch, and then flipped open his cell phone, looking at the caller memory. Greg still hadn't called. He should soon, if he were able. "Sara, this is nuts. If you were looking for something on a hunch, I'd be all for it. But we have no idea what we're looking for."

"Well, I kind of have an idea." Sara said, standing up and stretching her legs as she walked over to another upturned table. "We know now that there's a definite connection between Perkasa and the Powell family. Laura Powell had a Komodo dragon on her, carved and not tattooed, on her thigh. This means that she was intimate with someone who wanted to mark her with that sign. And if we assume that nothing happens by chance, we can also assume that the person who carved that dragon in her thigh was part of the dragons, and it wasn't just some punk who thought it would look cool."

"But Sara…" Nick started, but quit as he saw that she had started to quietly sift through more papers and broken glass, strewn about the floor from the struggle nearly a week ago. Greg was right; there really was no stopping her if she was invested enough in a case. And from how Greg himself had been affected by Sara's concern for Matthew and Gabriel, Nick knew that Sara was not to be stopped. Sighing, he bent down at a separate pile of debris and started to sort as well, not noticing the victorious grin that spread across Sara's face at getting Nick on her side.

The two of them worked in silence for nearly twenty minutes, each taking their hands and softly separating everything until they could make out what was actually on the floor. As Sara shifted the objects on the floor, she came upon a pile of clothes. She assumed that Laura was going to fold them up, and had laid them on the table. Among the jumble of linens were pairs of matching sleepers, and an assortment of baby clothes. She took up a pair of coveralls, and looked at them with a pained look on her face. She let go of her held breath, and stood up again. Nick looked up at her questioningly.

"I think I'm going to go upstairs, take a look there." She said, looking back at her partner. "You don't mind staying here and looking, do you?"

"Nah, you go ahead. We'll get it done faster that way." He replied while also shaking his head.

"Thanks, Nick." Sara said, making her way to the staircase. When she was out of sight, Nick quickly plucked his cell phone from his back pocket, where he had felt it buzzing lightly. It had started buzzing nearly five minutes ago, but Nick remembered Greg's words. If Sara even saw Greg's name on his phone, she would wonder why he had called Nick at a time when he should be sleeping. As he had promised Greg, she wouldn't find out until something drastic happened. Though it had stopped buzzing, Nick felt his hands shaking as he held it, flipping it open. Nick let out a breath. It had been Greg who was calling him, and that meant he was okay. He had left a message:

"_Back safe. Kids in big trouble. Huge half million hit reward. Gone to bed. Going out again tonight. Don't let Sara know."_

Something like a lead ball fell in Nick's stomach. He didn't know if it was the actual danger presented to the twins, or Greg's own safety, or both that bothered him. One night of Greg out on thin ice was stress enough, but now that Greg was going out again, Nick felt even more apprehensive. Greg was lucky the first time, but now Nick thought he was testing fate. And he still didn't understand why Greg seemed so unconcerned with the dangers surrounding a cockamamie plan like this.

Meanwhile, Sara had walked up the stairs, oblivious to the plot of her friends. The top floor of the house was darker than the downstairs in the light of a new day, so Sara strained to see her way around. To her surprise, the hallway was fairly clean compared to the downstairs. She vaguely wondered why the people who had been here hadn't ransacked the upstairs as well. It could be that they weren't told to, but she doubted it. All of the downstairs was wrecked, and papers were taken and thrown haphazardly everywhere. In the pit of her stomach, she knew that there was more reason to do that than to strike fear into the hearts of the poor family. They were looking for something.

She peered into the first room, but seeing it was the bathroom, untouched by anything, she left and headed for the next room, which looked more like a bedroom. Upon entering, she saw the nursery, and her heart lurched. The blankets in the two cribs were untouched. _"The twins must have been downstairs with their parents for some reason." _Sara reasoned. _"If the attackers had been here earlier, they would have torn up the upstairs floor as well, and if the twins were upstairs in their crib at the time of the murders, there would be blood somewhere in the room."_

Sara walked a few feet into the room, and looked around. There were only two places where any papers could be hidden. She checked them both. The little armoire in the corner wielded nothing but baby toys and a collection of baby books. The closet in the corner had about the same, just lots of diapers and clothes. Sara saw a small book, and picked it up. 'Baby's firsts' was written on the cover. Entranced and curious, she opened the book. On the front cover was a picture of the family together on the day of the twins' birth. The title of the page was 'Baby's first breaths.'

In the first minutes of birth, Sara usually thought babies looked almost homely, but something about Matthew and Gabriel looked adorable. Perhaps it was just the fact that they were Matthew and Gabriel, and Sara thought she could never find anything homely about them. They weren't crying, and their bright blue eyes were open and curious in the picture, the tufts of hair on the tops of their heads still damp. Sara flipped the page to two more pages with amusing 'firsts' and pictures for documentation. Sara smiled a sad smile. Something burned within her body. Was it…jealousy, yearning, or both?

Flipping another page, Sara's quick eyes flitted to a few pieces of paper that fluttered down from between the two pages. Carefully replacing the book, she stooped and picked up the folded sheets of paper. Sara took them up, and sat cross-legged on the floor. Opening up the pages, she started to read:

"_Hey, this is Laura again. Damien is somewhere with the twins, giving me a little time to myself, thank God! I really need to update my journal. Despite my personal opinions on shrinks, this diary was a good idea to release my thoughts. After what happened, I was bursting to talk about what happened, but the only person I trust anymore is the one person I cannot tell. If Damien ever found out what happened to me all those months ago, he would never be able to forgive himself, and I am sure he would do something reckless for me. I can't let him blame himself for his past mistakes. Luckily, the kids have seemed to save our relationship._

"_Who would have ever thought I'd have one child, let alone twins, especially after what happened twenty months ago. I truly am blessed. I just wish I had the courage to tell the police, but I think it would be best to leave well-enough. Damien never needs to know and neither does the kids. However, every day I hope that that horrible man never finds out about Matthew and Gabriel. Nine monthes after 'collecting my hisband's tab', I have babies? I know what he'd think, and I know what Santosa Perkasa does to people who threaten his precious horde of millions."_

Sara lowered the papers, and placed them in her lap to keep from scrunching them up in her fists. She wished it was Perkasa's neck between her hands, and that she was slowly squeezing the life out of his body. The mere thought of Perkasa _raping _Laura Powell and fathering those two sweet children was utterly…

"Impossible." Sara said out loud. "There's no evidence at all of Indonesian descent in those kids. And most Indonesians, or all, have brown eyes. Brown eyes are a dominant trait. Not saying it's impossible for blue eyes to appear, but…highly unlikely." Sara picked up the papers again.

"_Santosa Perkasa will never pay for his crimes. He is too street smart for that. I know that all too well. When he came to receive payment for Damien's casino excursions, he made sure I would never forget it. My leg still pains me, and I fight to hide it every day from Damien. I pass it off as a scar I got during childhood, but there are times when I wonder if Damien doesn't know already, doesn't see and recognize the shape._

_"At the time, I wondered if it really was the right choice to be threatened by Perkasa, and to not report him to the police. At the time, I might have had the evidence inside me. I guess in my gut, I knew that Perkasa was good for his word, and would have destroyed Damien and me. Luckily, my kids were of me and Damien, and not of...that._

"_This topic is depressing me. Let's go back to my pride and joys. Mathew and Gabriel are doing wonderful. They're finally starting to sleep through nights…"_

Sara lowered the papers again, staring off into space and deep in thought. This was the piece of information she needed. Of course, this alone would never put Santosa Perkasa away. One woman's word alone would never stand up in court, and because she was dead, it definitely wouldn't amount to anything. Sara wouldn't catch Perkasa for her rape, but she would sure as hell get him for the murders, and the attempted murders of Matthew and Gabriel.

She glanced over the rest of the journal pages, but the rest of the lines were filled with the doting attentions towards children by their mother. Bagging them, and placing them on her kit, she rose again. She had found the 'specific nothings', she had come here looking for. She was about to go back down the stairs to tell Nick what she had found when something else came back to her attentions.

"_Santosa Perkasa is not a stupid man. He must know that those kids are not his…it's apparent by their physical appearances. Why, then, is he still after the twins?"_

Sara couldn't leave yet. With these thoughts that came to her, she knew that she hadn't found all that she needed. She lifted herself carefully from the floor, and dusting herself off, she walked back out into the hallway. She walked up to a large bedroom, and assumed it was Laura's and Damien's. There were more places here to look, and most of them had no positive results for her. Sara searched for a solid half an hour and she vaguely wondered why Nick hadn't called out to see what she was doing. After looking under the bed and finding nothing but a dust of clouds, she thought of calling it quits and leaving with what she had. Then, she suddenly thought of one place where a secretive woman would hide her most precious secrets.

Sara felt exasperated at herself that she hadn't thought of it before. She stood up, still next to the bed. "If a woman wants to hide her deepest secrets from her husband," She spoke softly to herself, digging her fingers between the two mattresses of the bed, "she does so by hiding them in the one place that he'd never go near," Sara lifted the mattress up, taking layers of covers with it, "because he wants to avoid chores like making the bed." Taking it and letting it fall to the other side, Sara looked down at the surface of the remaining mattress and smiled. As she suspected, something was there.

Sara picked up the manila envelope and carefully let its contents slip out and on to the mattress. However, there wasn't much there. Only a few slips of paper touched down lightly on the soft fabric. Sara picked them up, and reading it carefully over one by one realized exactly why Santosa Perkasa had sent the hit out on them.

Laura Powell was trying to extort money from Perkasa for what he did to her, threatening to reveal the story of her rape, unless he gave her money…a lot of money. A hundred thousand. It occurred to Sara that it wasn't a lot of money, considering the wealth of Santosa Perkasa, but to a man with as much pride as him this was a slap in the face.

Another slip of paper had fallen out of the envelope, which Sara took up and read as well. This piece of paper was different. It was only a small slip, and it clearly held Perkasa's answer on it. _'No one threatens the mighty dragon. You will pay with your lives.'_

This was definitely reason enough to kill Laura and Damien, and the children? Sara attributed that to a sick mind who liked to completely finish a job. Though without a name, she couldn't pin it on Perkasa. She would have to get more. "Nick may know, and maybe Greg will have some fresh ideas in the morning," she said to herself.

Packaging up these papers as well, Sara walked downstairs to get Nick, but saw that he was nowhere to be found. While she wasn't scared that he was gone, because there was an accompanying squad car parked outside, Sara was a little concerned, and annoyed, at his disappearing act. She took up her evidence and walked out into the now approaching noon light. The sun meant that her shift ended hours ago. When she dropped her evidence off, and asked Wendy to run Damien's DNA against a sample from the twins, she would head home, and get enough sleep to try at finding a way to get Perkasa again. Walking down driveway towards the police cruiser, one of the officers looked towards her and called her over.

"What's up?" She responded, not letting her irritation show too much. "Hey, have you seen Nick around? He's not in the house."

"Yeah, he left about a half hour ago. Said he'd meet you in the lab, he had to go and do something."

Sara looked at the officer again, as if he was hiding something else. However, Sara knew he wasn't. Nick, however, was definitely up to something. "He also mentioned I had to give you a lift back." The officer added, pointing to the cruiser. "You ready to leave?"

Whatever Nick was not disclosing to her would have to wait. She had evidence that she was going to run with, help or not. "Sure, let's go."


	7. Nick Joins The Cause

**A/N: I don't own anything that you recognize from the show. This means characters. I wish I did though...**

**Okay, I broke my promise. Blame my brother and sisters. I wanted to hang with them while they were home, so I neglected my story. However, now that school is started, I should have time (how ironic is that?). Okay, here is a new chapter.**

**Oh, one more thing: anyone with news on the strike, and it's effect on the shows? I think we may as well be resigned to the fact that were gonna have a half-season. Sadness:(

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CHAPTER 7: NICK JOINS THE CAUSE

Greg was still asleep on the couch when his doorbell rang. Still groggy, he still felt remnants of elation from last night's success because he hadn't gotten killed, but was a little apprehensive at answering the door. It couldn't be anything good. Everyone who would come to call on him knew this was his time to sleep, and only colleagues would know this was his day off.

That was why when he opened the door a crack to see Nick standing there, he wasn't surprised. But Nick did not look happy, and that never boded well.

" G' Morning Nick," Greg greeted him sleepily, with an unsteady grin on his face to dispel the negative look on Nick's, "Aren't you going to tell me why you're here, on company hours?"

Nick pushed his way in with little opposition from Greg. "We need to talk, Greg."

All traces of lethargy disappeared from Greg's persona. Nick meant business. "About what, Nick? You know you can't talk me out of going again, because…"

"Yeah? Well I'm damn well going to try." Nick retorted, spinning on the spot to face the younger man. "I told you before that this was dangerous, but seeing how much money is on the line…you know how that makes a man act, Greg. We see it every day. I've seen people kill for much less, and so have you. And you're trying to double-cross one of the most influential, venomous people in Las Vegas. You're going to get yourself_ killed _if you go there again tonight and step on the wrong toes" He emphasized the word killed, hoping to change Greg's mind through fear.

However, to a youthful mind like Greg's, full of determination to do the right thing and to help his best friend, the words that registered were not strong enough to change his mind. "Nick, that doesn't matter. I told you before, I have to do this. If I can find just one piece of info to let us get ahead of Perkasa, than maybe we can catch some of his men, or even Perkasa himself, in the act! Think of all the lives we could save if we stopped him once and for all, Nick. Think about it! All the future crime scenes that we know would be the work of Perkasa, all gone."

"And think, Greg, about this." Nick replied. The forced control he was exerting in his voice was obvious. "If you go in, and you get caught by some unfortunate mistake, you'll probably get taken to some room, and you know you will get tortured. You, who are such an old Las Vegas mob buff, _know _the lengths that they go through for answers. If you're strong enough to resist, they'll kill you. That's the good scenario. If not, you'll rat out Sara, and guarantee her death as well as yours." He saw the first hints of apprehension in Greg's face. It gave Nick more confidence. "And think. If you do get Perkasa from this escapade, he can afford the best attorneys. They'll find a loophole in all of this, using your involvement as an excuse, and let him walk away a free man, again. Then Ecklie will blame his escape on you, and then you'll get fired, and unable to help anyone anymore."

"Bu-but…" Greg had become paler, and he wracked his brain for words. "No. No, Nick, all this may be true, but I just can't sit back and watch as he gets closer to his prey. You know what, I am scared as hell, as far from believing that as you may be. I am definitely scared, but I know that someone has to put themselves in danger to protect Matthew and Gabriel Powell."

"Is this what it's all about?" Nick exploded, making Greg cringe at the harsh volume. "Greg, you know as well as I do that you _cannot_, as hard and painful as it may be sometimes, get this involved with the victims of a case. Besides building yourself up for a burnout, it just makes your outside perspective on a case unclear, and you start to make mistakes, like the one you're about to make now. I know you care about these kids…" He paused, and saw Greg's expression. It suddenly occurred to Nick that the reason he assumed Greg was doing this was only half the motivation. "…and you care about Sara."

Greg shuffled his feet. "She'd do the exact same thing. And I think that if I didn't promise her that I'd do something about it, she'd have done this already." He looked up in to Nick's face. "I'd rather get myself into trouble then see Sara get in danger."

It was Nick's turn to be at a loss for words. He knew that what Greg said was true. It was his and Greg's idea to talk Sara out of doing anything drastic during the drive to their next crime scene. He couldn't remember Greg giving details about it when they talked later, only that he had done what he was supposed to do. Now it was apparent Greg needed the talking to, not Sara.

"Look, whatever Sara did or did not say she was going to do, I don't think she'd have done this." Greg didn't reply and looked sullenly away, and it made Nick more stubborn. "Look, I'm going to tell Sara what you did. She needs to know." Greg finally looked at Nick, horrified. "Maybe she can talk some sense into you. Come on, you're coming with me into the lab, no matter how many hours it is until you're supposed to be back in. Get dressed."

"No way, _mom_." Greg snapped back, looking at Nick with a glare. "You promised that you wouldn't tell her. Besides, I'm tired, I've been up all night, and it's _my day off._"

Secretly, Nick would have never told Sara unless something went wrong with the plan, as they had first agreed, but seeing the hold it had on Greg, he kept the charade up. "It's obvious that I need to keep my eye on you, so if you don't come with me now, I will phone her from this very spot and tell her all about your plan. And listen, you may be able to outthink me, but you sure as hell can't overpower me physically. So I suggest you do as I say. Get ready, and I'll meet you here. You can sleep on the way."

Greg's obstinate streak started to flare. "You went along with my plan earlier! You just can't change your mind…" Nick didn't budge, but looked with intimidation upon him. With a sour expression, Greg turned and headed in the general direction of what Nick assumed to be his bedroom. Nick gave a triumphant smile, though he hated to treat Greg like that. It was for his own good though, and this was what Nick consoled himself with when he decided to grab his phone and call Sara, and explain his own disappearance earlier from the Powell house.

He only needed to wait a few seconds until he heard the familiar, yet noticeably irritated voice of Sara Sidle on the other line. _"Nick, where were you too? It was mighty nice of you to leave me alone at the scene, ya genius."_

"I know, Sara, I know. That was wrong of me. But I needed to check on something important."

There was a pause, and then, _"Did you do what you were supposed to get done?" _Sara inquired about what Nick had to do. He was relieved she didn't delve further into the subject.

"Yeah, I think it's taken care of now. Did you find anything at the Powell house?"

He could almost hear Sara smile on the other end. _"I have Santosa Perkasa's motivation, in a neat little letter. I'm going to process it, see if there's anything interesting on it that trace can identify. Maybe a fingerprint is there. Alone, we can't link it to Perkasa, but hopefully we can find something, but that won't be for a while. In the meantime, I'll be at the hospital during my break, visiting Gabriel, so if you need me, that's where I'll be. You should come with me, actually. How far are you from the hospital?"_

"Not too far. I'm bringing Greg as well."

"_Greg?" _Sara questioned. _"Why are you doing that? I bet he's tired...you should leave him alone."_

"Oh, no, Greg wants to come with us." Nick lied, looking towards the quiet apartment. He was starting to get worried at how long it was taking Greg to get ready. "…Sara? Give me a sec."

Nick started to walk down the hallway, and he looked into all of the rooms he passed. They were all empty. He came to the door at the end of the hallway, which was closed. Greg must have been in there. It was probably his bedroom; he probably just fell asleep on the bed. He had looked tired, as Sara had mentioned. "Greg?" Nick called, knocking on the door. "Are you in there? Are you ready now?" There was no reply. Nick called out the same thing, and still he got no reply, making Nick as agitated as he was before. "Greg, I'm going to knock the door down if you don't come on now!" Still there was no noise from within the room.

Nick grabbed the door handle, and cursed himself when he felt it turn smoothly beneath his palm. It hadn't been locked. Nick ran into the room, and his eyes popped upon finding Greg nowhere in sight. "Greg?" Nick called, now a little worried. Greg had come in here for sure, but where had he gone? There was no way that he vanished into thin air.

A warm Las Vegas breeze blew past Nick's bare arm, and he turned towards the open window. "Oh come on, there's no way…" Nick murmured to himself as he walked up to the port to outside, and pulled back the drapes. However, Nick's fears were realized as, when he looked down, he saw a large piece of rope, from Greg's climbing days, hanging down from the window like a large tongue, licking the ground as it blew in the breeze. Greg was on the loose.

"Son of a bitch!" Nick roared, as he grabbed up his stuff and raced to get out of the apartment and after Greg.

"…_Nick? Nick?!" _Sara's faint voice could be heard from his phone as he ran full tilt towards the door. _"What's happening? What's wrong?" _

"Oh crap!" Nick said to himself as he grabbed up his phone and put it to his ear. "Sara! Sara, something really bad is happening. Greg's going to go and do something stupid." He cursed himself again. He really hadn't planned on telling Sara, because of Greg's own wishes, and his well founded thoughts that, if Sara got wind of the idea, she would also pull something foolhardy.

"…_What kind of stupid?" _Sara's asked.

"'Get himself killed', kind of stupid." Nick said, still racing out of the apartment towards his vehicle. The feeling in the pit of Nick's stomach told him that something was going to go wrong with Greg's plan tonight. He had to tell Sara. He sighed in resignation. "Sara, I'll meet you at the hospital. We have to come up with a plan of action."

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"So what you're saying is," Sara repeated Nick's words to make sure she had heard him right, "that Greg went to Santosa Perkasa's casino, to a special place where a bunch of thugs gather to try and get on his good side and earn money, and he tried to act like a _spy_? What a moron!" She cried with vexation. "He's going to get himself fired, or worse, killed! What possessed him to do that?"

"I don't know." Nick said. The two of them were sat across from each other in the hallway just outside of Gabriel Powell's room, waiting for the doctor to come out from his check-up. Ever since the attack on Matthew, an officer was placed outside the room at all times, but since Nick and Sara had come, he was off getting coffee, leaving them time to talk. Nick looked at Sara, who was sitting forward in her chair with her elbows resting on her knees and her eyes staring straight ahead of her. He knew that she was hiding her concern for Greg behind her anger, and he himself was feeling the weighted pressure of Greg's perilous position. "Listen, Sara…" He started, suddenly finding his shirt collar a bit too tight, "He's doing it for Mathew and Gabriel."

"So he says." Sara growled, rising off her elbows. "Why does he always do this? He has _no _thought for his own well-being, he's reckless, pig-headed, and entirely too righteous. He's going to get himself into trouble, and we're going to have to help him out of it." She sank back down, leaning her elbows on her knees once more.

Nick didn't know what else to say. She was entirely right, of course. Greg had good intentions, but his youthful naivety always got him in trouble. Greg was also right, however, in thinking that Sara would have done the same thing, had it occurred to her. Nick was stuck between two very stubborn, passionate people, at a loss to help either of them.

Sara heaved a sigh. "Where do you think he's to?"

"Probably hiding from me." Nick replied. "And Las Vegas is a really good hiding place. He'll try to avoid me until tonight, when he goes to Perkasa's. Sara, I should really go and start to look for him…"

"Don't bother." Sara said. "Just leave him." Nick looked at her. Her voice and expression held an eloquent pleading, and he listened intently. "He won't stop until he helps us. Greg is so stubborn. And if you can't beat him, join him. Can't we just stay there as back-up, the three of us, and work together? I'm sure that if we did, Greg would be fine, for another night."

During her speech, Nick started to frown. "Are you saying that in Greg's best interest, or your own?"

Sara looked up at him in return, her face screaming of horror and indignation. "How can you say that?" She whispered. "I love Greg, and if anything happened to him I'd never be able to forgive myself. He's gone there for me, to make sure I wouldn't do something foolish. I'll be honest; I had planned to do something like this until Greg promised me that to hold back. He said he'd take care of it. And now that Greg's gone and done the same thing, I realize how stressful it is for everyone involved. And I also know that he'll never leave on his own free will unless we restrain him. Since we can't do that now, we have to guide and help him, one last night. Now, will you help me…us, protect those kids?"

Nick was silent, thinking over the proposal. There was nothing else that they could do. However, how could he justify the danger, the trouble they could get in, if something went wrong? How could he leave two of his best friends in the lurch? How would he even decide what to do?

Before he could begin to reply, he heard a noise to his immediate right, and he turned his head to see the doctor come out of the room. "How is Gabriel today?" Sara asked, looking up at the doctor as well.

"Better than yesterday." The doctor replied. "He'll be completely healed in no time, and able to go with child services to be with his brother. You can see him now, Ms. Sidle, if you wish."

"Thank you." Sara replied, and stood up as the doctor walked on down the hallway.

She looked to Nick, who also rose from his seat. "So," Nick began, looking to her, "The doctor knows you by name now?"

Sara gave him one of her 'looks' and he smirked, making her smile. She entered the quiet, white and lonely room first, with Nick following her. She walked up to the familiar bed, and smiled at the little boy who by now recognized her, and held up his arms towards her. His neck was still wrapped with bandages, protecting it from his own picky, curious hands, and from infection, but all of the wires and tubes that had at one point been taped and inserted in all parts of his body were now removed. He looked so much better now, then when Sara first found him.

"Hey Gabriel." It was not Sara who spoke, but Nick who talked so gently to the boy, and slowly, he picked him up, out of Sara's arms, and into his own. "Hey. How are you doing, little guy?" Nick started to stick out his tongue at Gabriel, and he started to laugh, which intensified Nick's own smile. "He's beautiful, Sara."

"I know." Sara said, as Nick handed Gabriel back to her. She smiled too, as Gabriel looked curiously between the two of them, trying to decide who he wanted to be up with more. "And I hate to think of what may happen to either him or his brother Matthew if we don't do something to stop Perkasa."

"Sara, we are forensic scientists, not detectives." Nick fought, but weakly. His resolve was fading with every glance he took of the child.

"No, we aren't, but it hasn't stopped us before when there was a lot at stake." Sara said, and he knew immediately that she was talking about his own kidnapping. They may have used forensic evidence, but they weren't confined to the lab when one of their own was on the line. All of them tended to twist the rules…and now would be one of those times.

Nick sighed. "Where do we start?"

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**Here is the usual asking of critiques, reviews, and the wishes of, 'Hope you enjoy.' And, for those unfortunate sould such as myself, hope your return to school is an enjoyable one:) I kinda doubt it will though, if your principal is anything like mine...**


	8. Play With The Dragon

**A/N: For the sake of it, I'll mention that I do not own anything that CBS'll claim they own. You know what I mean...**

**Anyways, This is a fairly long chapter. I had time; I needed to get my anger out on something. My local hockey team (that I watch, not play in...go Clarenville Caribous!) lost in the last five seconds...it was sickening. So, that equals long chapter. My posting from now on may be sporadic, as mid-term exams are approaching. Hopefully I can finish before then. But that is then, this is now. Here you go folks, enjoy!

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CHAPTER 8: PLAY WITH THE DRAGON…

The evening sun was just in the middle of its descent, and though the air was cooling down, it was still very warm. Greg sat down on the ground, under the shade of a large tree, trying to cool off and catch his breath. He tried to stop his heart from beating so hard, but it wasn't the adrenaline from the great escape he had just pulled off that made his pulse spike. He felt bad; not for running from Nick because it was Nick that was trying to baby him, keeping him from doing what he felt he needed to do. No, he felt bad for not telling Sara himself. Now Nick was going to tell her, and make her worry. He leaned against the thick trunk of the tree, and closed his eyes. He hadn't even run that far. He drove all the way to the park, after getting out of his second story apartment, and then he had run only the distance to a little grove where he could hide from anyone that knew him. Why, then, did he feel so light-headed?

Greg shivered as a breeze whistled in his ears, making the hair on his arms stand on end. He knew exactly why he felt so sickly. Everything that Nick had said, about the dangers, and worst of all, the danger that he posed to Sara and the twins if something went wrong, was right. And no one was there to help him. He had to do it all alone.

In a way, that suited Greg just fine. He didn't want to involve anyone else in the dangers that he was pursuing. It would kill him if someone was hurt of his accord. However, a cold ache resonated in his body at the thought of dying alone.

Greg opened one eye at the ringing to his side, where he had tossed a sweater, his wallet, and his cell phone, all in a tangle from his rush to get away from Nick. It was now his ringing cell phone that caught his attention, bringing him from the depths of his thoughts. He picked it up, and with a little hesitation, answered. "What do you want, Nick?"

"…_Truce?"_ Nick's voice came through from the other end, mildly, nothing like his rage at the apartment.

"That really depends, Nick, on if you plan on putting me in a car seat and feeding me from a bottle, or helping me." Greg replied brazenly, as if he really was a child.

There was a slight pause, and then, _"Yeah. Yeah, Greg, we're helping you. We have your back."_

"We?" Greg asked, Nick's whole statement taking him by shock. "Have your back? I just wanted you to be aware that I was doing this…we?"

"_Greg…I'm sorry, man. I had to tell her."_

"…You told Sara." Greg said, more than asked. A lump formed in the pit of his stomach. And he felt a welling rage at Nick. "You promised you wouldn't."

"…_I know. But I had to. You left me no choice. However," _Nick paused here. _"I've seen Gabriel. I can see now where this foolish righteousness comes from. So, the three of us, Sara, you and me, are going to make sure these kids get out of the country alive."_

A bright grin spread across Greg's face. "R-really? You'll help me?"

"_I don't really have a choice in the matter, actually." _Nick confessed. _"Between looking at Gabriel, and keeping Sara off kamikaze missions, I'll have to do it. Not that anyone's twisting my arm now." _He paused again. _"I'm still worried about what may happen, Greg."_

"Nah, no need to worry Nick, I'll be careful." He assured Nick. "Well, I'll try."

* * *

Night had fallen once again on the city of sins, though on the strip one could hardly tell. The sky was filled with neon stars, illuminating the way ahead for passers-by, attracting them to casinos like insects to flowers. Sara and Nick were parked a few blocks away from the Dragon's Den, and they waited in the parking lot for Greg to appear. Both were thinking different thoughts. 

Nick dwelled on the thoughts about the trouble that Greg could get in for doing this, both with the lab, and with Santosa Perkasa. He thought of Gabriel, and the twin he hadn't met yet, but knew that he was just as enchanting. He also thought about a life for the twins where they were not persecuted for the mistakes of their parents.

Sara's thoughts hovered over her dogged concern for Greg. She was still angry with him for doing this stupid, crazy, dangerous thing, and another part of her loved him more for it. Part of her ached, knowing that Greg didn't know that. She thought of the twins also, and harboured the same thoughts Nick did. More and more with each hour that passed, she became more attached to them, to the idea of mothering, to the ferocity that mothers feel for their offspring. Even though biologically they were not hers, she thought of them as hers, and over and over she promised to protect them with all the power she had. And another thought kept crossing her mind…no, more of a feeling, in the pit of her stomach. She felt like there was pressure, building up outside of her, that all that was happening around her would remain still, and then all of a sudden it would explode and leave them broken. This horrible feeling she attributed to this night's activities.

Headlights pierced the darkness as a large vehicle pulled up three spaces over from Sara, one space back, and stopped. Both of them looked out of Sara's window, and saw a man dressed in all black, with a black cap pulled down over his head. It was only his smile that gave him away. Sara and Nick hopped out of their own vehicle and ran over to Greg.

Greg looked up to see them coming, and heaved a sigh. "Well, it's D-day…take two."

"Yeah." Nick said, and looked up at Greg, who looked much more confident than he felt. He took him into an embrace and clapped him on his back. "Don't do anything stupid Greggo."

"I can't promise you that." Greg said, though not in his usual jovial way.

"I_ can_ promise you that if I think anything's happened, I'm finding a way in after you." Nick added, also in a serious tone. They broke the embrace, and with a nod to Sara and Greg, he made his way to another casino, one that was close to the Dragon's Den. It was his stake-out point. Part of their plan.

Greg now turned to Sara, expecting some more words of encouragement and 'don't do anything out of your league' lectures. Instead, she just seemed to hug herself, looking sadly to the side, avoiding his gaze as she did in the car, when they were heading to Matthew's crime scene.

"Aw, come on Sara," Greg pleaded, "Please look at me, talk to me, make it seem like this isn't the last time we're going to see each other again."

"How can I think of it any other way?" Sara asked him, her voice low.

"I will come back Sara, just you wait and see. I have Nick now, and if I run into any trouble, he'll come in and rescue me, as usual." She still didn't seem convinced.

"You have to promise me that you'll be in to work tomorrow." Sara finally said, quickly. She looked up at Greg with a tiny grin that made Greg take her into a hug.

She felt him laugh against her shoulder. "Perish the thought of me leaving you with my backlog of work, Sara. Don't worry." He added, whispering into her ear. They broke off their embrace, and with a last look at each other, Greg turned away and headed towards the familiar back-way, to enter the true home of the dragon himself, Santosa Perkasa. Sara watched his every footstep, and with every echo she heard in the quiet parking lot, she felt her heart ache painfully. She forced herself to turn away, and she walked to her own post.

Oblivious to Sara's eyes boring holes into his back, Greg walked briskly to the old cement basement way to the Dragon Den's inner chambers. The night was still fairly young, but the stale scent of Las Vegas, the scent of alcohol, gambling, of sin, was hovering in the air around the strip. They had parked a few blocks away, but Greg found himself at his destination all too soon. The well-known neon Komodo dragon made him squint with its serpentine tongue flashing hot pink on second-long intervals making it seem like it tasted the air, looking for something to pierce with razor fangs and inject it with its foul poisonous saliva. Its brown eyes seemed to watch Greg as he peeked his way around the corner, to the back way.

Once out of the eyes of the neon dragon, Greg seemed to be able to calm his racing heart. He jogged to the other corner, and turning around, found only a few people lined up. That was part of their plan; to come early. Maybe if he was less overwhelmed by how many people were willing to kill to have some power, he could find someone higher up in Perkasa's ranks, and find out some useful intelligence. The small group he had seen had already made their way through the door, and Greg followed behind them, down the somewhat familiar steps, down, down, deeper within the basement of the Dragon's Den, to the fairly luxuriant gathering hall for thugs and thieves. Greg smiled as the blast of gold and red light reflected back into his eyes. It was far less crowded with people, and even better than that, there was a person in a group to the very farthest end of the hall that Greg recognized.

The man was huge; tall, broad-shouldered and muscled to the max. He was one of Perkasa's closest bodyguards. He was present when Greg first saw Perkasa, just a night ago. Greg slowly walked up to him, and the rest of the men, that seemed to be in deep discussion. Slowly, he eased himself into the circle until it seemed like he was always a part of that group.

"It seems like a lot of the men are too scared to try getting at these kids, Mercer." One of the more raggedy men spoke to the bodyguard. "Perhaps Perkasa will just have to let this one go."

The bodyguard known as Mercer sighed. "This is one battle Perkasa is not going to give up." He spoke to the whole group, addressing them as Perkasa did. "Something about this is driving him mad. It's probably the fact that the job wasn't finished right, and it looks like he showed mercy. He'll stop at nothing to see those kids dead at his feet."

"I don't see how that would happen." A familiar voice spoke, but when Greg tried to look in his direction, his face was hidden by a large black hood. "The police are looking after these kids twenty-four hours a day, and no matter how much I try, what with others helping to create diversions, we aren't opening any holes. I don't see how anybody can get at them without getting caught. Perkasa will have to go in on his own if things keep up the way they are."

"I don't doubt he would." Mercer said, shrugging his shoulders. "The more that people fail at the task the angrier he gets about it. He will either get those kids or die trying."

"Why wouldn't he leave them be?" Greg heard, and when he realized it was his own voice forming words, he nearly swallowed his tongue. "I mean, their parents are dead, right? It's not like the kids themselves could have done anything to harm him. Why not let them alone?"

Mercer snorted. "That's not Perkasa's way of doing things. He has to kill all witnesses, even if they're not old enough to remember the incident. I guess it's not in his nature to show any mercy towards living creatures."

Greg shivered. "But there's so much at stake for Perkasa…the risk isn't worth the reward unless you have a sure-fire plan."

Mercer now directed his attention to Greg, along with everyone else in the circle, making Greg feel small. "You seem to have a vested interest in Mr. Perkasa, though I've never seen you before. May I ask why?"

"_Eep." _Greg felt the perspiration gather on his brow as he looked upon the dozen pairs of eyes watching his every move, a dozen pair of ears waiting for his reply. "Everyone knows that to make it big in this town, you need to get with the right people. Santosa Perkasa is the biggest name in town, and I've got nothing to lose, everything to gain. Why wouldn't I come here, and try to get in good with Perkasa?"

Mercer stared long and hard at Greg, but then a smile appeared on the man's face. "Cheeky young'un, but that's what you need in this business."

"That and news." Greg replied.

Mercer's smile faded again. He looked at all the other faces, and with a simple nod of his head, the rest of the men scattered. It was just him and Greg now. Greg felt more confident now. "You have news?" Mercer whispered to Greg, leading him by the shoulder guided by one of his bear-paw sized hands. "What kind of news?"

Greg gave a smug smile, playing the part of a street-wise thug who had something the higher-ups didn't, but needed. "Yeah, I have news, and I have a feeling that Perkasa would like this news. It could end all of his troubles with these brats he's intent on destroying."

Mercer stopped at the very end of the hall, in front of the doors painted the rich ruby red. He seemed to hesitate, looking between the door and Greg in indecision. Then, he seemed to make up his mind. "Wait here." He said to Greg, and rapping on the door, he was let in from the other side. Greg stood there, running over what he was going to say over and over in his head. He remembered very clearly what they had planned. He took a shuddering breath. He knew the risks; Nick and Sara never said two sentences together without adding in the risks of what he was doing, if the dragons never bought his plan. However, to help Matthew and Gabriel, to help all the other people that would eventually become Perkasa's target, how could Greg refuse to do this?

Greg started to pace the small platform in front of the doors, until he heard the creak of hinges in need of oil to his right. He turned, and he saw a floating hand beckoning him. Greg followed the hand, saying silent prayers in his head for everything to work, for all of this to be over. Squeezing through the small space between the doors, he suddenly found himself in a very dark room. Only a small glow, like that from a firefly, could be seen at the opposite end of the room. The doors closed behind him with what seemed like a deafening slam, causing Greg to wheel around. _"Oh God I'm going to die." _Greg thought in panic. Strangely, he was driven to think of the old monster movies he watched, where the main character got trapped in the room with the evil creature. With a little relief, Greg remembered that usually, the main character managed to escape. But that was the movies.

The light suddenly started to grow a bit, and it pierced the darkness enough for Greg to see a large ebony desk at the end of the room. Greg saw the behind profile of Mercer, who was talking animatedly to the man sitting at the desk. Greg's breath caught in his throat. It was Perkasa. _"Damn, even his desk is imposing." _Greg thought as he stood there like a marionette without strings watching the scene. They were speaking too quietly for even Greg's ears to pick up.

Mercer finally turned, and looked at Greg, but never spoke. He walked past Greg with a void expression, and walked back out the way he came in. Greg kept looking after him until that familiar foreign accented voice called his attention to the front. The coldness and authority in that voice shook Greg to the very core of his soul. He felt like running away.

"Do you hear me?" Perkasa repeated, impatience growing in his voice. Greg turned his head towards the desk out of sheer fear of not wanting to piss off this man. The voice with which he spoke greatly contradicted the sight that Greg saw. Even more close up Greg could not see where the intimidation came from. Santosa Perkasa was not in the least a bit physically daunting. Greg was more afraid of Nick and Warrick. And then he spoke again, and the fear returned. "You have news?"

Greg walked a few steps closer to the desk. _"Play it cool, play it cool..."_,"Yeah, I have news. I think you'll find it quite interesting."

Greg was glued to the spot under Santosa Perkasa's glare. Black eyes void of anything but callousness peered over at him over clasped hands. He watched everything; those eyes were his secret weapon. They missed nothing. Greg could almost hear the cogs turning in Perkasa's head. This was a man of great mental capabilities. This would all boil down to a game of wits, Greg realized. He had to be ready to play.

"Is that so?" He replied after a while. He pointed to a chair in front of the desk, but said nothing else. Greg took it as a cue to sit, hoping it would not flip upside down and lead him through a tube to acid. Now his thoughts were just going silly. "Would you like to tell me this news?"

"I'd be happy to, for a price." Greg said, giving Perkasa a sly smile.

Perkasa returned with one of his own. "A price? Do you realize who you're dealing with?"

"I do." Greg answered, hoping he wasn't going too far. "But I have what you need, and nothing but my wants, paid to me by you, will make me give it up. You cannot get something from nothing."

Santosa looked at Greg incredulously, but then started to chuckle. "I like men with attitude. If I had sent someone like you to do my job the first time, I wouldn't have this problem. Fine. What is your price?"

Greg smiled. "I just want to be in your good graces. To have some weight in this town."

Perkasa once again acquired a look of amazement. "This is all you ask?" Greg didn't answer in words, but nodded in the affirmative. "You are easily pleased. Very well. All that I may do to make sure you gain some credibility with the higher ups in this town will be done. Now," He said, leaning forward in his desk, "what is it that you have managed to hear?"

Greg's confidence grew. Perkasa thought he was mentally getting the upper hand, in promising something of little weight to a lowly, stupid peasant who was hungry for power. How wrong he was. "Straight from the police, they're planning on moving the Powell baby from the hospital to the same child services place as the other child tomorrow around three in the afternoon."

"Ah!" Santosa Perkasa stood up quickly, revealing just how short a stature he really had. "Finally, he leaves!"

"I also know that they plan on taking a really strange route, straight through Summerlin and back."

"Where did you hear this?"

"It's amazing how much you hear when you stay in overnight for a drunken disorderly." Greg replied. "The guards aren't that cautious of whose ears they let secrets to. Even drunkards can remember some things."

Perkasa looked at him, still standing with his hands placed on the desk. "This is interesting news indeed."

"How you use it will be up to you. I'm just a messenger."

"Yes." Santosa Perkasa already seemed to be thinking of a plan of action. A minute later, he looked at Greg. "Thank you, young man. You may go now, with my blessings."

"No, thank you." Greg said as he got up. He was walking out of the room but took one last look at Perkasa, who had started to pace the room, lost in thought. Greg started to walk to the doors again and never looked back, afraid that his good fortune would fail him. He walked out of the red doors, and seemed to float without realizing it to the staircase upwards, to fresh air, to freedom. He was completely unaware of the people who stared with amazement at him, the man who got an audience with Santosa Perkasa. The group he spoke to earlier, including the person whose face was hidden by a large black hood, looked very hard at Greg, thinking of the lucky bastard who had probably gotten into Perkasa's group of most trusted spies, looking at the identifying smile plastered across his face.

Greg was oblivious to all that. Happily he jogged up the stairs, and out through the door, past the crowd that had gathered to go where he had just come. Greg walked leisurely back to the parking lot and sent a message to both Sara and Nick to meet him at his apartment.

* * *

"I can't believe it actually worked!" Nick said, his past apprehension gone as they whooped it up at Greg's apartment. "You actually managed to get in and speak with _the _most notorious man in Las Vegas, and give him faulty information about the transportation. Greg, you are awesome!" 

Greg gave a huge grin. "I know, I can't believe it." However, he sobered a bit. "I just want this guy put away. Seeing him in person, I don't know, but I know why people are scared of him." He paused, waiting for Nick and Sara to pay full attention, and to gather his own thoughts. "He's not very intimidating physically, but he may even surpass Grissom in mental capacity. And his voice, it's like someone running over cats, and his stare…his stare. It's cold as ice. There is absolutely nothing of goodness in his eyes."

Nick nodded, and Sara just stared at nothing in particular, lost in thought. However, Greg smiled again. "That's all in the past though, because I think we got 'em. They don't know me, and I hid my hair and most of my face with my hat. I think we finally ended this, and made the place safe for Matthew and Gabriel until they are taken to safety."

"Right on!" Nick said, and both he and Greg took a swig of beer that they were drinking in celebration. Greg lowered his head, and caught sight of Sara, alone in the corner, her soda not touched.

"Sara?" Greg questioned with concern on his face now, not happiness. "What's up? Why aren't you celebrating?"

Sara shook her head. "I'm not…quite sure, actually." She gave an unsteady smile. "I don't feel like it's all over yet."

"Well, sure, overall, I doubt we'll catch Perkasa here, but Matthew and Gabriel will at least be safe for another while. If Perkasa sends his guys in tomorrow at three, all they'll get into is a nice little police parade that they're holding for the town. It's perfect; they won't know what hit them."

Sara smiled. "Yeah. Yeah, maybe you're right."

Greg wrapped his arm about her shoulders. "Of course I am! Now let's celebrate!" The three of them clinked their bottles together, and drank in merriment, but Sara's instincts still told her that nothing had been resolved at all, and that things were going to get a whole lot more dangerous from here on out.

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**Okay, there it is! Hope everyone enjoyed...oh, and if you can take the time, and feel like it, PM me about what you feel about the writer's strike, and the fact that there is no new CSI left:( Oh, and review if it pleases you!**


	9. And You'll Get Bitten

**A/N: Don't own any characters that you recognize. You know who I mean.**

**Okay, snow days are awesome. Ahh, this is our third or fourth one this year, and I love it! So, today I had some time to write, and this speedy (for me, anyways) update is because of the wind and snow. Thank the weather! Here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy. OH! And by the way, thanks to everyone who read and reviewed...I really, really, appreciate it, and to all who did, I'm glad you enjoy the story! Anyways, here is the next chapter:)

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CHAPTER 9: …AND YOU'LL GET BITTEN

Sara's anxiety still had not eased off, even though there was nothing to suggest that anything had gone wrong. Their plan had gone over perfectly; a group of ten men were waiting in ambush along the road that the police were supposed to take to transport the child, but were met by not a few police squad cars, but the whole squad. They were captured, and put in jail, just as they had planned it. Nick and Greg were smiling and happy, but they noticed Sara's uneasiness. Try as they may to assuage her, Sara could not shake the feeling that the bubble of assumed happiness was about to burst, something fatal about to happen.

The three of them had visited Gabriel many times, and had been present for when Gabriel was transported for real to the child services building where Matthew was staying. There they had finally met Matthew up close, and found him just as entrancing as his brother. Seeing the two of them together was, for Sara at least, worth everything they had gone through so far, and she was sure Greg and Nick agreed. The two toddlers, even though they were only about a year old, seemed close to each other. When one left the other, they would cry for each other. "Poor kids, they only have each other left in this world." Nick had commented when they had seen one such incident on a visit. Sara had secretly only half agreed. _"They still have us." _Sara thought as she watched with envy one of the Child Services ladies take up one of them for a feeding. That had been on her first day off, the first break she had had in a while.

It had been two days since her days off had started, three days since the their plan had come together with the police cars and the round-up of dragons, and four since Greg had been back at the Dragon's Den. He hadn't gone back since he had had the talk with Santosa Perkasa. He didn't see a reason. "Don't worry Sara, I think it's all over. The twins are going to be taken overseas in less than a week, only four days! They're safe now." These same attempts at making her feel better were said by Nick, but nothing seemed to alleviate the feeling in her gut. As she sat now at home, on her last day off, she felt everything starting to fall apart.

She looked at her watch, and closed her eyes. She only had another hour until she left for work, and she could finally put her mind to something productive, and keep her from worrying.

However, she knew from what Greg and Nick had been saying that not much had happened since the murders surrounding the Powell twins. Nick and Greg had been trying to put something together from the cases to use in any way to indict Perkasa, but new it was a fruitless search. So, they had marked the cases as not solved and moved on, waiting for something to happen. However, there seemed to be nothing. The crime in Las Vegas had seemingly come to a standstill. It only put Sara more on edge. That never happened unless something big happened.

Her cell phone rang from on the desk next to her, and she picked it up to discover it was Greg who was calling. Giving a small smile, she picked up. "Hey Greg."

"_Hey Sara!" _Greg greeted her warmly. _"How are you feeling?"_

"I'm not sick, you know." Sara replied. However, she sighed. "I still feel it Greggo."

"_It'll go away." _Greg said in a low voice, after a pause. _"It's just that you've been under some stress. We all have. But it seems like it's over. You'll feel better when the twins are safely away from here."_

"I hope so." Sara said. "This feeling is not a pleasant one."

"_I can see how it'd be fun to be a clairvoyant and predict Armageddon." _Greg replied sardonically, making Sara smile. _"But listen, Nick and I are on our way out to some lake in the forest area somewhere North-east of here. Since Catherine and Warrick are also out on a case, and Grissom is stuck inside doing paperwork, I think you'll be coming with us."_

"Ooh, lucky me." Sara replied in a joking sarcastic voice. "I'll have to go to the lab first."

"_Yeah, and report with the boss man, but then you'll have the enjoyable company of us." _Greg gave an infectious laugh, and Sara got caught. She gave a chuckle. _"See you then?"_

"See you then, Greg." Sara said, closing the phone tenderly. She smiled, and looked at her watch again. Maybe things could be fine. _"I have to take a Valium or something." _Sara thought as she resumed her position on the couch. _"Everything's going to be fine."

* * *

_"Ugh, Nick, come _on_," Greg pleaded as he hid his ears behind his hands as southern accents filled the vehicle with angry and eloquent cries of despair, complaining of lost loves and of dogs, horses and houses lost in divorce settlements. "There has to be something better on than this." 

At the driver's seat, Nick grinned. "Greg, we're only three minutes away from the crime scene. Look, I can see the police squad car lights up ahead. Besides, is your heavy metal any better?"

"Yes!" Greg cried. "Heck, Brittney Spears could do better than this…_I _could do better than this."

"Yeah, well, let's not find out, shall we?" Nick said, screwing up his face as he glanced at Greg's astonished and fakely hurt one. He laughed. "You walked into that one, buddy. Sorry."

Greg laughed also as they came into view of the squad car at last. "Payback's a bitch, Nick."

The two of them hooted with laughter as Nick pulled over to the side of the road behind the cruiser. "I'll watch my back." The two of them laughed again as they walked over to the officer who leaned against his car. "Hey!" Nick called out to him, a look of slight irritation on his face. "Hey, you're supposed to be at the body, making sure it's not touched."

The officer looked at the two of them, but his gaze lingered on Greg for longer, and Greg returned it with dogged curiosity. "My partner is at the body." The officer replied curtly.

Greg recognized this officer. He had heard him and seen him before. He wondered though, what he had done to this officer. Could there be any other reason for him to stare at Greg this hard? Nick also noticed, but paid no attention to it.

"Come on." The officer continued, leading the two of them in through a walking path in the woods, their flashlights a guiding beacon as the moonlight had been temporarily covered. The only noises out in the maze of leaves and needles were the crunching twigs beneath the men's feet, and the swish of the police issued windbreakers. Though the moon was blocked by an errant cloud, the night sky twinkled with many stars that could only be seen with as much clarity as this away from the city lights.

"Do you know anything about the body?" Greg questioned the officer after a few minutes of silent hiking. The officer stopped and looked at Greg once again with startling intensity. "I.D.? Anything?"

The officer never replied for a while, but then turned and started to walk again. "Nope."

Greg narrowed his eyes in contemplation. He slowed his pace behind the officer, and whispered to Nick, "Does this guy seem a bit off to you?"

"Mmm-hmm." Nick answered. "Yeah, I've seen him around though. Names' Officer Werner. Haven't seen him in a while though. I wonder why?"

"Vacation time?" Greg suggested, until they heard a shout from in front of them, telling them impatiently to hurry it up. Greg growled and sped up, with Nick at his side. The crested the hill, and saw Officer Werner illuminating the corpse with his bright white light.

"Here we go." Greg said as he walked down the tiny hill, ignoring the officer as his CSI instinct kicked in. As he stepped on to level land, he found his foot sinking. "Ugh, what is this?"

"Watch it Greg." Nick said as he walked down beside him. He guided the beam of his flashlight along the ground, and groaned. "Well, never mind. Looks like we're not avoiding the mud. Body's right next to a pond and the water has made the ground here really soggy. It's like walking in a marsh."

"Just our luck," Greg muttered, taking a second step closer to the body and instantly sinking again in the soupy ground. "Oh well, nothing to be done about it now. Come on."

Nick followed suit, placing his feet in the impressions that Greg's sneakers left in the ground. As they stepped, they noticed that the ground was so absorbed with water that their footprints were not disappearing. They walked up to the body, and lowered themselves in to a crouching position to look closer at the body.

"What do you think, Nick?" Greg asked, looking at the body. There was something strange about it. "Any first thoughts?"

"Grissom always taught us to never have first thoughts", Nick said, "and to just observe the crime scene first. But me? I think this guy was dumped here, because no one in their right mind comes out here in a suit and tie."

Greg nodded in agreement. The male body was dressed up in a very formal suit and tie, his black hair combed neatly to the side. There were no signs of trauma anywhere on the body, and Greg relayed these findings to Nick.

"Hmm…" Nick responded, standing up to get a full view of the body. "This is really strange."

"Listen." Greg said, as he also stood up. "Maybe there's something around here that'll give us a clue. You take the area about here, and I'll take the body?"

Nick nodded. "Yeah, let's do that."

And so Greg kneeled back down in the wet ground while Nick started to scan the ground with a flashlight. He thought it silly that he was doing this near midnight. He and Greg should just wait for the coroner and come back tomorrow, with fresh eyes and sunlight to help them. He knew also that evidence outdoors needed to be collected as soon as possible, or there may not be a later. So, Nick diligently scanned the ground searching for something to help him. He looked up, and something strange occurred to him. "Hey, Greg?"

"Yeah?" Greg called back, not tearing his eyes away from the victim's face.

"Where's Officer Werner? And there was supposed to be another guy here too, where's he at?"

Greg cocked his head to the side. "Umm…" He shrugged. "Where did they go? Although I never even saw a second guy here."

"What jackasses!" Nick snarled. "Even the greenest rookie knows to never leave a scene!"

"Calm down, Nick." Greg reassured. He was already investigating the body once more. "We'll say something to Brass when we get back." He paused, and shivered. "I just want to get back to the warm lab. I'm freezing out here."

Nick never replied, though he thought it odd that Greg would be cold. It was especially warm out, even for midnight. He ignored that and went back to scanning the area about him, though his mood was anything but eager. He couldn't help but remember what happened to CSI's when the officer suddenly disappeared. Catherine's attack, his own kidnapping…he didn't like it. He scanned the area directly in front of him with his flashlight in paranoia, and saw nothing but trees. Sighing in relief, he started to sweep the ground again, and caught something weird. Walking over to it, he saw a strange imprint in the ground, a print of an odd type of shoe.

Nick knelt down next to it, and considered it for a minute. Then he recognized it. "What's a rubber boot imprint doing here…?" He murmured to himself. He wondered if the officer waiting here had foreseen the area being so sodden, and brought his own pair, but he had no timeline. Since the area was so saturated, the prints could have been left there for hours.

"Hey, Nick, come here, will you?" Greg called over to him.

Reluctantly he left the print, placing a bright yellow marker next to it and taking a few snapshots. He made his way through the muck and arrived at the body once more. "What do you have, Greg?"

"I'm not sure, actually." Greg said, pointing his flashlight to a certain spot on the corpse's neck, exposed to the outside. "It looks like…mould?"

"What?" Nick was surprised, but Greg was right; peering down at the patch of discoloured skin, Nick saw a patch of mould that looked like fuzzy white down on the skin. "Gosh, that's strange." Greg looked up at Nick, and he continued. "When a body is buried, we embalm it, making sure the body decays at a much slower rate."

"Nick, I may be a newer CSI than you, but even I know that already." Greg said. "What are you getting at?"

"One time, Brass and I exhumed a body, because he was suspicious of the husband. He thought the accident looked like murder after he saw the grieving husband two weeks after his wife's death in a Sports car and newly renovated home. When Doc Robbins got it out, the body was well kept. The bruises were covered with make-up, and there wasn't any decay. Only mould. My point is that, if the body is not covered in bacteria by now, but mould is beginning to gather on it, it can only mean one thing."

Greg's eyes widened. "This body was already buried. Somebody dug it up and placed it here…" He gasped, and he stood up quickly, almost making himself dizzy. He had heard something out in the trees from the path they had just taken. "Nick…" He whispered, tapping him on the shoulder.

Nick put up a finger to quieten him. He had heard it too. "Maybe it's just Sara…" He whispered back, but he backed up, and led Greg further from the path. Then they watched the spot where they had come, their senses alert. But they neither saw nor heard anything. There was no light by which people could see, shining over the natural hills of the path, nothing but the wind, that was picking up speed, they could hear.

They both sighed simultaneously. "I must be hearing things." Greg said to Nick, and they started to walk back to the scene when suddenly a large gust of wind blew about them. The cloud that was hanging in front of the moon all night shifted finally, and a nearly full moon blasted them with a pale white light. Nick's eyes shifted to the left of them, and he saw an unnatural glint of light on plastic somewhere out in the woods. Nick halted immediately, and grabbed Greg. Nick watched that strange sparkle, unsure what to make of it, until he saw it move, and he heard the crunching of twigs under someone else's foot.

Nick shouted in alarm.

"_Run _Greg!"

Greg turned his head and also saw what Nick had seen, and immediately bolted after his friend, both running further into the forest at full speed. Now they heard clearly what they had been hearing all night. Footsteps were present running after them as well as the shouts of many men. They were outnumbered; their only hope was to outrun them.

They had no clue where they were going. They crashed frantically through the underbrush, trying to escape the mob somewhere behind them. Neither of them had any clue how long they were running, or how close the other men were to them, but they didn't dare stop, adrenaline spurring them on deeper into the woods until they broke out into another clearing. It was here that they stopped in the shadow of the trees, and tried to catch their breath. They could not hear anything but the blood rushing through their ears. They didn't dare speak until after their errant panting slowed a bit.

"Nick, what the _hell _was that?" Greg asked his friend, his brown eyes alert but filled with fear. "Who were those guys?" Greg paused, and Nick knew from his expression that he had answered his own question. "How did they know…?"

"I don't know Greg, but do you realize how serious this is?" Nick asked, his voice low but deadly serious. "We're being chased, without any help or way to contact help, by some goons employed by a very powerful man."

"What do the dragons want?" Greg asked.

Nick hesitated. "I don't know."

They were silent then, as they walked low to the ground to some better cover of the trees. They looked out over the clearing, remarkably similar to the one where their hoax body was placed. The ground was nothing but a marshy muddy mess, a shallow pool with reeds growing up from its bottom at one end, reaching out to the tree line. They tried to listen for their pursuers, but heard nothing. Even with the light of the moon now helping them, they still could not see anything.

"Should we try and find our way to the road?" Greg asked Nick, after he had had enough resting and waiting. "We're sitting ducks here."

Nick nodded, and at his agreement Greg stood up and walked a bit about the circle of the clearing. Nick was watching him, and just as he stood to join Greg, he saw a group of three men jump out from hidden in the trees right on top of Greg. Nick heard him yelp in surprise, as he fell to his knees.

"Greg!" Nick shouted, running to his friend's aid, but as soon as he sprinted towards him, he was also attacked by three men. The weight on his back caused his knees to buckle, and like Greg, he fell to the ground. On the slope, the mass of four men tumbled down the embankment into the marshy, wet land below. Nick landed somewhat on top of the three men, and as soon as he gathered his sits about him, he took his right fist and landed a square hit onto the nose of one man, stunning him momentarily. Nick felt hot blood on his knuckles from breaking the man's nose, but not his own. By then the two other men were up and after Nick, trying to restrain him. Water splashed everywhere and mud covered everyone and everything. They were slowly wearing him down, but Nick's adrenaline was pumping hard, and he knew that Greg hadn't been so lucky, being caught by such surprise. While struggling, he fought to catch a glimpse of him. When he finally did, he wished he hadn't.

Greg had managed to land a few good swings in, as a few men were wiping a dark liquid that could only be blood away from their faces, but one of the men had Greg's thin, limp body draped across his shoulder. He saw the man with Greg gesture towards the woods, and they started to leave.

"Greg!" Nick shouted, but his voice failed him when he felt a swift kick to his abdomen and he fell to the ground with a groan, his knees sinking into the mire, his arms instinctively wrapped about his pounding stomach. He closed his eyes as he tried to regain his breath, but then he felt something all too familiar cover his mouth, and he started to kick out and struggle all over again, trying to keep the other men from knocking him out with chloroform, like his kidnapper Walter Gordon had done to him, like they had probably done to Greg, but he slowly felt his muscles fail him, and he closed his eyes, feeling his head drop into the mixture of water and earth. He fought to stay awake, but he couldn't resist the slumber that called him.

* * *

**I hope this mey everyone's standards of 'tense', lol. I don't know when I'll have time to write again, but hopefully soon. Until then, hope you like the new chapter:D**


	10. A Ticking Dragon Time Bomb

**A/N: I don't own CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, or anything related to it.**

**I don't have much to say. "Good, the readers say, lol". I hope you guys like this chapter. It's pretty long in comparison, but I thought it was good...but thats just me. It may be a total wash, but I offer it up anyways. Hope you enjoy! 

* * *

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CHAPTER 10: A TICKING DRAGON TIME BOMB 

"Nick…Nick…?"

A voice in the darkness called out to him as he started to regain consciousness. His head pounded, he was drenched, and something like a rock had settled in the pit of his stomach, but other than that, he didn't know why he had been sleeping. Actually, he didn't remember much.

"Nick, wake up. Nick?"

Annoyed at the person calling his name as persistently as his alarm clock buzzed, Nick gathered all his energy and forced himself to sit, his eyes still fluttering, trying to open. He felt a strong arm supporting him, allowing his to rest and gather a tiny bit of energy as he leaned back. He clenched his eyes as a wave of nausea hit him, but like ebbing waves, it passed over in due time. Now Nick decided to talk and not see, since it occurred to him that it'd take up less energy. "…Vega?" Nick tried, finally recognizing the voice calling to him. "S'at you?"

"Yeah, Nick, it's me." Vega replied, his arm still supporting Nick. "Nick, what happened?"

This made Nick pause for thought. As he became more awake, he was starting to vaguely remember what had happened to him. The cloth around his mouth…yes, someone had knocked him out with chloroform. "The last thing I remember was being drugged, and…fighting. I was fighting to get out of the grasp of three men who had jumped me…"

Nick bolted upright, but he quickly leaned back in pain. "Greg!" He gasped. He still couldn't open his eyes. "Vega, did you get him? Did you get Greg?"

"Greg did this to you?" Vega said. Had Nick been able to see, he would have seen Vega's eyes pop out of his head in shock.

"No, no." Nick muttered hastily. "We were at a scene, closer to the road, and suddenly we got a funny feeling, and we had been hearing things all night. We just blamed the wind. But then the moon came out, and I saw a person in the woods. We ran, and they chased us."

"Who chased you?" Vega asked. "Who did this?"

Nick groaned as another wave of nausea, a side effect of the poisonous gas passed through him. "Dragons." He whispered.

Sara let a tiny gasp out from where she was stood a few meters away, looking about the area for any sign of Greg. Her worst fears were realized. Her instincts had been right. She took in a deep, steadying breath and continued to scan the area with her flashlight in silence, listening to Nick tell Vega the story.

Vega frowned at the mention of the infamous group. "What did the dragons want with you? Did they say?"

His mind now coming back to him, Nick knew what to say, to not alert Vega to what they did. "I don't know why, but…they wanted Greg. Dead or alive, I don't know. I think alive, because they only drugged him like they did me. They didn't want anything messy."

Sara bit her lip. Vega's frown deepened. "Nick, do you remember anything else?"

Nick now opened his eyes and looked around. It seemed like no time had passed. The area around him was still dark, although he could tell that more than a few hours had gone by in a drug-induced sleep. A faint hue of deep maroon traced the horizon of the sky, and the darkness didn't seem so impenetrable now. He saw the familiar shadow of Sara a few feet in front of him, on top of the hill that Greg had been on, looking at her surroundings.

"All right, Nick." Vega said, still offering his arm for Nick to lean on. However, Nick grabbed his arm in a gesture that he wanted to get up. "Are you sure Nick?" Vega asked, unsure if Nick should be standing at all. "You were just in a fight, and you were knocked out with chloroform. You may not be too steady on your feet."

"I don't care." He said, grunting with pain as his stomach extended in standing, making the bruises stretch as well. He stood firmly on his two feet, not allowing himself to sway. Nick grimaced with a mixture of soreness and anger. "I need to find Greg, and get him back. Who knows what those sadistic people want with him, what they're doing to him?" He stopped, and something dawned on him. "Where is he?" Nick asked, and then he roared, "_Where is Officer Werner, Vega?_"

"Who?" Vega asked, taken back by Nick's anger.

"I said where is Officer Werner, the bastard who was supposed to watch us? He led us to the body." Another thought occurred to him. "Vega," he choked out, "Officer Craig Werner...was he discharged recently?"

Vega seemed to connect what Nick was saying. "Yes, he was. They suspected him of dark dealings, but cut him because he was caught gambling at the Dragon's Den…"

"He was in on it the whole time." Nick whispered. "The way he stared at Greg, I knew that there was a reason why he kept on staring at him so hard…" Nick choked back a sob, "Oh God, Greg…"

Vega patted his shoulder, but knew he wasn't the one who Nick needed to speak to. He made sure Nick would, and could, stand steadily on his feet, and went to retrieve Sara. He sent her over, and Sara walked up to her despairing friend. Glad as she was that he was all right, her main concern now was the friend that was lost. "Nick, pull yourself together. He'll be all right for now."

Nick looked with eyes filled with tears he refused to shed at Sara's own clear eyes, void of tears. Looking deep enough, he would have found despair as great as his own. "How can you not feel the weight of what's happened, Sara? You know how much danger he's in."

Sara looked hard at him. "There's no time to get upset, Nick." She replied. "Perkasa is evil and smart, but he has his faults. Pride is one of them. Greg made him look like a dummy, so now he's going to get his revenge, but he'll find out soon enough, if he doesn't already, that physical torture isn't what'll hurt Greg most. He'll figure out the connection between Greg and the twins, and go after them, killing two birds with one stone. We have to figure out how to thwart his plans."

"Sara, the last time we tried to do that we got screwed over…_bad_." Nick said, finally getting his feelings under control. "Greg got caught."

Sara sighed, and closed her eyes. "Look, we have two options. We play things by the book, which means that we'll lose Greg and probably the twins also, or we try to think of a plan ourselves and save Greg. What are you going to do?" Nick looked at Sara, and her eyes were pleading with him on her behalf. "I've made up my mind already. I blame myself for the mess he's in, and I'll do whatever it takes to get him back safely."

Nick stared softly and contemplatively at Sara, the silence the only thing between them. In the end, Nick thought of the twins, and of his friend, limp and unconscious on a stranger's shoulder, and knew what he had to do. There really had been no deciding. He could never leave Greg like that. He nodded, but Sara never smiled. She couldn't find anything to smile about.

* * *

Greg woke up to immediately find water in his airways again. He coughed and felt the water work its way out of his mouth and on to the floor next to him. This had been going on for a while, this beating, unconsciousness, then revival with freezing water, but Greg wasn't sure of exactly how long. His face was wet, and the top of his t-shirt stuck to his skin, but the rest of him was dry. His head pounded, but he had gained back the memories of what happened in the woods. He groaned as the noise of mocking laughter renewed volume as he tried to turn over, but found himself too sore.

Greg remembered everything about what had happened to him. He remembered the feeling of the weight of three men on top of his back, quickly bringing him down to his knees. He memorized the fight he put up against his assailants, the feeling of teeth against his knuckles. He still felt the stinging as he flexed his hands, trying to gain feeling and get up. He remembered waking up the first time in this hell-hole, with many jeering faces above him. He was outnumbered by about a dozen people, so trying anything foolhardy would be suicide, as he had painfully discovered. He had no clue what had become of Nick…

"What's the matter?" He heard a voice above him, and he felt another bucket of water slosh over his face, cutting off his supply to air as he sputtered. "If you can't take the heat, don't play with the big boys."

Greg wheezed as the last of the water was expelled from his airways. He opened his eyes so the blurry shadow of the man who addressed him was the only thing he could see. He looked him up and down, and then barked a sarcastic laugh. "Is that where I am, with the big boys? I was confused when I saw you here."

Greg saw the shadow of the man advance, and then he felt a sharp pain shoot up through his side. He gasped as he recoiled from the boot in his side, and he groaned again. Now he opened his eyes as he rolled over onto his knees. The mocking just continued, and so did his pain. It brought him back to memories he had tried to bury…the alleyway.

"Not so tough now, are you traitor?" The same man asked, his honour restored again. He heard cheers from around the group. "You'll pay for betraying the trust of the greatest Dragon."

"Funny, if he's so great, how'd I trick him in the first place?" Greg spitefully replied through gritted teeth. He was leaning on his elbows, knowing that if even tried to support himself on his hands he would be kicked until he fell down again. He braced himself for another barrage of attacks, but he felt nothing. He sensed something else though. "Well?" He asked again, tilting his head so that he could see up. However, he saw the circle of men who had been beating and crushing him leaving the room, not without some dirty looks back towards him. He wondered why they were leaving, though he wasn't about to wish them back.

"Ah, if it isn't the young man from a few nights ago." Greg froze, the iciness of that voice freezing him to his soul. If it was his unshakable bravado had kept him courageous until then, it didn't do anything now. "Lift up our young friend here, and sit him down in the chair."

Greg saw two men coming towards him; one was the bodyguard known as Mercer. They flanked him and lifted him up by under his arms, taking his body and dragging it over to the far end of the room where they dropped him into a chair. Greg didn't even try to resist, knowing he would only spend the precious energy he knew he needed to reserve. However, now that he was up off the dirty cement floor, he was able to look about.

The whole one-room shack was primitive, and was not furnished. The floor was cement. The walls were planks of rotting wood, the ceiling the same. The only source of light came from a little oil lamp that was sitting on a little table to his side, casting an orange hue on everyone's face and shadow in the corners. Greg noticed that there was an uneven square cut out of one of the walls, but he couldn't be sure of what direction it faced. He could see that the sky outside was starting to lighten up a bit. Morning was almost upon him. Greg shivered; the cold air that night brought to Las Vegas blew onto his moist shirt. Greg knew that he wasn't at the Dragon's Den. Even the most hated enemies of Santosa Perkasa would be led into a lavish, furnished room of his favourite colours, red and gold.

Greg gasped as he felt his hands pulled together with something tight cutting into the skin behind him. "What else do you want?" Mercer asked, obviously wanting to make up for his mistake in bringing Greg to him.

Perkasa did not say a word, but he looked at the flimsy door behind him. "Wait for me outside." He told them, and without another word they hastened through the door. Perkasa waited a minute or two after they had gone, and then turned his attention to Greg, who was too paralyzed with fear of this man to say or try anything. And then the most surprising thing happened.

Santosa Perkasa laughed. It wasn't an enjoyable laugh, but a laugh all the same, and Greg became still more afraid of him. There was no possible reason for him to laugh as he did. He walked towards Greg, still chuckling.

"Ahh, my dear boy." He started, wiping tears from his eyes from his ceaseless chuckling. "I must admit that you got me."

From the water, Greg's hair was hanging limp and curly and into his eyes, but he stared solidly at Perkasa. "Got you?"

Perkasa looked down at Greg, looking mildly surprised. "Why yes, you got me good with that 'fake transport'. I don't know what it was about you, but for some reason, I thought I could trust you. I could have used someone like you in my organization."

"It wasn't hard." Greg said. "You're so desperate to get what you want at this point that you'll destroy yourself. You did what you needed to do, so why not stop?"

Perkasa stopped. "What I needed to do?"

Greg recalled what Sara and Nick had told him about their findings at the Powell house. "I know all about your motive, Perkasa. Damien Powell had a big debt made at your casino, but he couldn't pay it. So, you decided to exact your own payment. You raped Laura Powell. When you found out nine months later that she was pregnant, you weren't sure who those kids belonged to. As long as she left it alone, you were prepared to as well. But Laura Powell never left it alone, did she?"

Perkasa was now ashen with indignity. All he could sputter out was a simple, "No."

"She started to threaten you, said she had some evidence of Matthew and Gabriel Powell being yours, that she'd expose you. So you went to kill her. Damien was collateral damage."

"My people searched that house, top to bottom." Perkasa spoke more to himself and Greg. "And they never found a thing."

"They never looked upstairs." Greg stated simply. "You see, that's why everything went south in the first place. Two baby twins, just lying in their parents arms getting ready for bed. They were innocent children. One of your guys had the remains of a heart and conscience and couldn't kill them. That man, Carl Portman, took them up after one of his goons started the job, and took them to safety. That's why only one sustained any damage. It's also why Carl Portman ended up dead in a parking lot."

Perkasa just seemed to stare at Greg with his eyes alight with a fathomless rage. He stayed still, and then ran over and slapped Greg's face, causing his head to swing painfully to the side. Greg grunted as his head came to a stop, and he felt the tingling of his skin where Perkasa's hand made contact with it. "Why do it?" Greg tried his voice to find it cracking as he tried to control the pain. "You've heard reports; those kids are definitely not yours. Why do you still persecute them like this? You're only going to destroy yourself."

Perkasa let a faint hint of a snicker out. "To let someone live after I go after them isn't my style, even if they're children."

"Sick bastard…" Greg murmured as he rolled his neck. He was starting to find his current arrangements uncomfortable, even for the direness of the situation. Whatever his hands were tied with was still cutting into his wrists, and the chair he sat in, seemingly made of the rotting wood of the cabin, was old and back-breaking.

"No, not sick." Perkasa replied, obviously hearing Greg's comment, "just wise. I know what it takes to survive in this world."

Now it was Greg's turn to laugh. "_You _know what it takes? Not from what I've seen."

"You're young," Perkasa answered, "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me." Greg said. He was finding his curiosity peaked, and though he wanted nothing more than for Perkasa to leave, he wanted to know more about this man. However evil he was, Greg found him morbidly fascinating. He could still hear the wheels turning in his sinister head.

"I know how to live. I model myself after the Komodo Dragon, a fierce creature that lives back in my homeland, Indonesia. In my village, we stayed away from them, gave them their space, because we knew that they were mightier than us. The Komodo dragon…they are fascinating beasts. They can swim, climb, run, and are at the top of the food chain. Dare not be caught in their sights and look like a meal, or that's exactly what you'll become. One bite from a dragon will kill you. Not because of its jaw strength. No, it's smarter than that. Its saliva is so toxic and so venomous, teeming with so much bacteria, it will sicken its prey until it drops of illness. If you don't die, and are treated, you'll be so sick, changed and inhibited for the rest of your life you'd have wished to die. In the wild, however, you are doomed. When the prey drops, the Komodo dragon will start eating its corpse, rotting already due to the first and fatal bite." Perkasa paused then, and looked at the intently listening Greg. "It doesn't do to cross a dragon, or you'll certainly pay the price."

Greg smiled. "I can see the similarity." Perkasa started to smile, but then Greg spoke again. "A Komodo Dragon sometimes bites off more than he can chew. If he doesn't expel the rotting food from his stomach in a certain amount of time, he can die of his own toxins."

Perkasa's mouth was set in a straight line. "I'd leave the twins alone." Greg tried to convince him again. "Or you may find yourself poisoning yourself with your own venom."

"Or maybe I will start with the twins, and move on to your little friends."

Greg paled. "Whu-what do you mean?"

Perkasa laughed now, a malevolent laughter that made him shake. "Do you even know how we knew to find you at that crime scene in the woods? Have you even asked that question?" Greg's jaw dropped as he was starting to realize that an eye for an eye; he had fallen for Perkasa's trap just as Perkasa had fallen for his, Sara's and Nick's trap. "Officer Craig Werner was discharged for hanging out at my casino, so he came to me asking, or begging actually, for a job. I see now I made a good move. He knew who you were when you left."

Greg frowned. "I knew I recognized that man in the black hood." He muttered. "Oh!" Something occurred to him. "Then why did you believe me, after hearing Werner talk about me?" Then he pieced it together, and a horrible feeling passed over Greg. "We didn't trap you at all, did we?"

"No. But you had me fooled, for a while." Perkasa replied. "I still beat myself up about the fact that I trusted you, for some reason, but upon reflection, I saw that we could lull you into a false security. Kidnapping you has shown your partners that I'm not stopping yet, however. I need to quicken my pace and get the twins before everyone is wise to me. I know that they'll be expending most of their resources in finding you, after finding the other one in the woods."

"Nick?" Greg remembered. "Where's Nick?"

"I don't know." Perkasa said simply. "He's probably where my people left him, in the woods, like the idiots that they are. I don't understand why…perhaps I should have been more specific with my instructions. However, he is alive, and probably telling the police about who took his partner near this very moment, if they found him at all. This is all the more reason why I must leave you now and initiate my plan."

"Plan?" Greg asked warily. "What plan?"

"That's for me to know, and for you to never find out. But don't worry, I have my own plans for you."

Greg's breath caught in his throat as he saw Perkasa walk over to the barrel and, placing the lamp on the floor, took the top off. He tipped it a bit and showed Greg the barrel-load of explosives. As he saw the sticks of explosives, Greg felt like he had fallen fifty-thousand feet; his stomach dropped and he felt the weight of gravity collapse onto him.

"These explosives will go off in twelve hours. It is six in the morning now. You do the math." He turned to leave, when he stopped again and looked at Greg. "It was nice to talk to someone as wily as you, boy. Before I leave you to die, I'd like to know your name."

Greg was still looking at the barrel, too scared to say anything. Perkasa shook his head, laughed again and left his captive to stare at his demise.

* * *

**Most of the Komodo Dragon facts are real. I did a little research, though I'm not sure about it all. I'll try and update soon, though midterms are starting next week. :D **


	11. The Battle Of Wits

**A/N: Don't own CSI...if CBS says they own it, they probably do. I only own the bad guy...boo!**

**New chapter, and it may be the last one for a while...mid-term exams start on Friday, and I have four this year...not including the one I have in February. Omy. Such is the way of school. I have Tuesday and Thursday all off though, so maybe I'll shirk the physics studying and write;) Until then, here you go!

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CHAPTER 11: THE BATTLE OF WITS 

Sara and Nick were leaning against a table in the fingerprint lab, waiting for their results to come back. Sara remained quiet and concentrated, while Nick was still feeling guilty. Both were full of concern for Greg, and they wondered what Perkasa's next move was. The way they saw it, after telling Grissom and the rest of the team about Greg's disappearance, and that there was nothing at the scene, there was nothing else they could do. Nothing safe, anyways.

The soft double-beep of the computer drew them towards the screen, but their hearts sank as did their last hopes when the words, 'no matches found' flashed up.

"Damn it!" Nick cried in frustration, slamming one of his fists on the table. "Damn it, Sara, we got nothing from the letters or the cloth from the woods, no trace, and the DNA and fingerprints on it doesn't match anyone we have on file. This is hopeless!"

Sara never answered. She wasn't about to admit defeat, especially when so much was on the line. Greg was missing, and she blamed it on herself. She refused to cry, because it would only hinder her ability to help him. But she was feeling the strain of trying to keep from breaking down on her throat, and on her lip, which she kept biting down on until it bled. She was just out of ideas.

"What are we going to do, Nick?" She whispered desolately. "We have no idea where Greg is, what Perkasa's plans are, how he's going to go after the twins next, anything. We have nothing to go on. I mean, Grissom and Catherine are gone to the crime scene, and Warrick is looking into any dragon activities, but there's nothing solid to go on, and we have no idea what to do to keep from going insane."

Nick nodded in agreement, and sighed. The sun was just starting to rise again, meaning he had been up for nearly fourteen hours already, and he was starting to feel tired. Greg probably felt the same, if he was still feeling anything. Nick shook his head; he couldn't think like that. He, too, wouldn't give up on Greg so easily, even against odds that were stacked so high against them. "Greg can handle himself. There must be a reason for Perkasa to take him, and keep him alive. If not, why not kill me? He's still alive. Something will turn up. Come on Sara, maybe a cup of coffee and food will allow us to get awake enough to think things through more clearly and carefully."

Sara nodded, but before they managed to walk three steps towards the break room, they saw Warrick sprint through the hallways. He screeched to a halt as he saw Sara and Nick. "Guys! Guys, you have to come see this."

"Woah, Warrick." Nick said, looking in alarm at his friend who seemed very anxious and flighty. "What's up, man? You look like you seen a ghost."

"If only." He replied worriedly. Sara and Nick frowned. "Just follow me. You'll see."

Sara and Nick ran with Warrick towards their previous target, the break room. Once inside, Warrick took up the remote and proceeded to turn on the T.V. "What is it, Warrick?" Sara asked, a hopeful idea popping into her head. "Is it something about Greg? Has he been found, is he okay?"

"I don't know anything about Greg, but take a look at this." Warrick pushed the power button and the T.V. buzzed as pixels came into focus, slowly, and then a familiar news program poured out sound.

Nick's eyes went wide. "Oh no, no…Warrick, what's happened?"

Sara turned to him. "What do you mean? It's only the news. You haven't seen anything on it yet, how do you know it's something bad?"

Nick never turned his head as he still watched the news, so Warrick answered her question. "Sara, don't you realize? It's only about eight in the morning. This channel's news doesn't even come on until dinnertime."

Sara opened her mouth a bit in surprise, and looked up at the news as the boys were doing. The female reporter seemed fairly giddy, talking animatedly as if she were excited she had something interesting to report.

"_Breaking news: It's a whole new civil war in Las Vegas. All over the east side of town, police are struggling to keep the recent crime wave under control. Starting at about six-thirty this morning, there has been a shower of bullets, screams of help and felons abound. The police warn everyone living on that side of town to stay inside, and to be prepared. The suspects are numerous, and unknown, but the police have apprehended the suspects in some of the crimes. This shot is of a police arrest of suspects in an attempted robbery of a small convenience store."_

The screen shifted to footage of officers leading two men away, while in the background they saw more officers running after someone off-screen. As the camera zoomed in on the suspects, something struck Sara, Nick and Warrick. The Komodo dragon, tattooed on the neck's of the men in deep red and black.

"_We will be bringing you the most recent news in this case. When questioned, Sheriff Jeff McKean had this to say…"_

Nick and Sara stared at the T.V. screen with jaws dropped. "This is really, really bad, guys." Warrick said to them. They still stared at the TV. "I've lived here all my life, and not once has there been anything like this. The casino big-shots know that to do something like this is reputation suicide."

"Those same big-shots haven't been burned this badly." Nick said. "Man, Perkasa must be doing this for some reason. He hasn't gone mad. He has a plan, and he's initiating it now. We have to figure out what it is, and soon."

Sara was silent, thinking ahead to what his plan was. "Oh!" She suddenly said, and she immediately rushed out of the room. Nick and Warrick followed her as she raced through the hallway and into one of the layout rooms with a computer. She dropped herself into a chair and began to type madly.

"Sara, what are you doing?" Nick asked, still wondering what she had thought of.

"Nick, think about it. Santosa Perkasa does nothing without a purpose. When he went to kill the Powell family, it was because Laura Powell had been blackmailing him, not just on a whim. The father was collateral damage, and the twins? If they hadn't died, maybe it would have been okay, but because it was one of his men that betrayed him, he has to destroy them. He's ruthless."

"So, what you're saying," Warrick added, "is that he's doing this…as part of a plan he's cooked up?"

"Exactly." Sara said, still clicking on the computer. "See, I think I know what he's doing. He's creating a diversion."

Nick was starting to get it, but he still looked confused. "Diversion? What's he diverting us from?"

"This." Sara said as she clicked one last time, and a map of the city appeared on the large screen on the wall. On the east side of the map there were many red spots. "See the red spots?" Sara asked them.

"Yeah…yeah, that's where the crimes took place this morning." Warrick said. "Seems like they're all crowded into that one area of town."

"That is because they're creating a diversion, keeping the police away from this part of town." Sara made a circle on the screen over the western part of town. "See, I think Perkasa has been after one thing this whole time."

It finally dawned on Nick. "Matthew and Gabriel Powell! Sara, bring up the location of the child services building where the twins are staying until their relatives are coming."

"I already have." Sara said, though something in her voice had changed. Nick and Warrick looked up, and saw that the same building they were talking about lay within the circle that Sara had drawn – directly opposite of where the crimes were happening.

"Warrick, we have to go." Sara said, rising from her seat and running once more, grabbing Nick as she went. "Call the police and tell them what we know."

"Wait, Sara! Nick! Where are you going?" He called back. "Oh no, you are _not_ going to that place with a herd of dragons heading there! Come back!"

"Can't! Bye Warrick!" Sara called back, still running. "See you soon!"

"Guys!" Warrick called out to them again, his voice increasing in frustration. When they didn't turn around the corner again, he took chase after them. However, when he managed to track them down, he saw them in Sara's car, driving away towards the child services place. Sighing and wishing them luck, he went back in to phone the police for backup.

* * *

The temperature was starting to rise in the old rotting shack, and Greg fidgeted in his restraints, trying to get his hands free. He knew it was no good when he felt hot blood trickling down his fingers. Whatever his hands were held together with were cutting into his wrists too badly to try and free them. Using his fingers to trace the outline of the bonds, he could finally tell that it was a zip-tie that held them together, and that nothing was loosening it.

"The guy who invented zip-ties was an idiot." Greg muttered, angry at his predicament. He felt oddly calm despite his position, and he didn't know if that was what scared him more. He sighed, and looked desperately around the small room. There were only a few things in the room aside from himself, and that was the barrel of explosives in the corner, and the little lamp that was still burning.

"_If I have any chance of getting out of here, I'll need to get out of this chair." _Greg thought to himself, still trying to look about the room, hoping for inspiration for a plan. However, there was nothing. Greg exhaled again, trying to direct the air towards his perspiring face. Las Vegas temperatures soared in the daytime and, as with any desert, it was a hot and dry heat. Greg never felt a need for water yet, having had plenty forced on him just a few hours prior.

But he knew he would sooner or later.

Greg grunted as he tried to stand himself up with the chair behind him, and though he managed to stand on his feet, it was awkward. _"I'd never be able to break down the door waddling like a duck," _He though despairingly. He sat back down, puzzled, and starting to lose hope.

"_Even if I manage to get loose, how am I ever going to break this damn zip-tie? Perkasa isn't stupid enough to keep me near any living person that could help me, even if he thought I could get out. There's no way out of this shack, no way to find Sara and Nick to tell them of their plans…"_

Greg leaned his head back, trying to get himself to calm down. He looked over to the barrel of explosives and shuddered. Why and how did he ever get himself in this mess?

Sara.

And thinking of Sara, of Gabriel, of Nick and Matthew, and of the promise he had made to them all, he started to think again of a plan. There was no way Santosa would outthink him. _"Only Grissom's allowed to outthink me."_ Greg thought with a wry grin.

Greg looked around again, and his gaze lingered on the oil lamp, whose little flame still flickered in its glass casing. Greg considered it, and with grim realization he finally figured out how to break the zip tie. However, the lamp was on the floor now, because Perkasa had laid it there to show Greg the explosives. Greg's hands were elevated by his sitting in the chair by at least two feet. _"At least,"_ he thought _"I have one problem solved. Now, all I need to do is to get out of this chair…"_

A wind blew into the little shack through the square cut into the wall, and swirled about. Greg's eyes flicked to the little flame in the lamp, and he saw it dance with the wind. He caught his breath; he dared not move until the flame steadied itself. If the flame went out, so did his last hope of getting out of there alive. After a few seconds that went on forever, the flame stopped its erotic movements, and Greg finally released his breath, though his mind was still racing. Now he was being timed by a more unreliable clock than the explosives; would the lamp last long enough?

* * *

"Nick, please hurry up." Sara pleaded with Nick as he drove already with dangerous speeds. "We need to get to the place before the Dragons do."

"Sara, we may not getthere _at all_ if you keep bothering me like this." Nick said, the added pressures from Sara not at all helping him. He was already on edge enough. "I'm already going twenty-five miles per hour ahead of the speed limit. The only reason our asses aren't pulled over right now is that the police are too caught up with all the crimes happening over on the east side. Relax. We'll be there in three minutes."

"But Nick, that may be…"

"_Sara." _When Nick used that tone, she knew to quit; she sat on the edge of her seat, straining her seatbelt and looking out for the building. She felt unbelievable guilt; in going after the twins, she felt like she had given up on Greg, and that was the worst feeling she had ever felt. She couldn't leave the twins vulnerable, could she? That would be letting Greg get caught in vain. It was for them that he had done all of this.

And yet, Sara couldn't shake the odd feeling that he had also done it for her. If Greg never came home because of something he had done for her, she could never live with herself. He had been with her on many of her daily trips to visit the twins, and he had always shown a strong interest in them that went beyond being her friend, and wanting to impress her. They had been similar to her actions. His had been a paternal yearning to protect them, to play with them, and to love them.

Sara bit her lip. She was torn. There was no way at the moment to help Greg until she knew something more, but she still felt like she was abandoning him for the babies, and that killed her inside.

"Sara, we're here." Nick spoke as they neared a looming building. Sara recognized the same building that she and Greg had approached, the day when it had been broken into, and the same one they had visited many times. It seemed like everything was normal, nothing amiss. "Where'll I park, Sara?"

Sara paused, and she felt like just telling him to park wherever, but her instincts, or paranoia, told her different. "Try parking somewhere on the other side of the street, hidden a bit from sight of the building." She told him instead.

Nick nodded, perfectly understanding her. He turned into a parking lot opposite their destination, and drove around the lot until they were completely hidden from sight of the child services office. After parking, Nick and Sara started their short walk to the building.

Once inside, they were greeted by the secretary, a woman whom they had met there before because of their previous trips there.

"Hello Sara, Nick." She greeted as they walked in.

"Cathy." Sara greeted curtly, her angst making her courtesy hide away. "Can we see Matthew and Gabriel Powell?"

Nick looked at Sara in a reprimanding way. "We're just here for a visit. We were feeling a bit uncomfortable with all the stuff that's happening over on the east side of town."

"Sure." Cathy said, directing her courtesy more obviously at Nick than at Sara. "Oh, where's Greg today? Usually he's here with you…"

"He's not here today." Sara cut her off, biting her lip at Greg's name. 'Where are the twins too?"

Cathy frowned a bit. "They're in the nursery-play room with some of the caretakers. Would you like me to…?"

"No thanks, we know where to go." Sara cut her off again, walking briskly towards the door leading to the twins. "Thanks anyways."

Nick shot an apologetic glance Cathy's way, and rushed after Sara. "You're welcome." Cathy replied exasperatedly.

Nick caught up with Sara, and they both walked on towards the room. Nick looked at Sara, and he thought she was getting overwhelmed by her emotions again, as she nearly did at the beginning of the case. "Listen, Sara, you need to calm down a bit."

"Do you see it, Nick?" Sara asked, completely ignoring him.

"What?" He answered back with a question. "See what? I don't see anything unusual."

"That's exactly the problem. Where are the police officers that are supposed to be here? The people here are always having problems because of angry parents with custody issues. On any normal day there should be some law enforcement here. Besides, the twins are supposed to be watched because of their parents' suspicious murders. So where are they?"

And sure enough, as Nick looked around, he saw that she was right. The only people milling about were workers in the office, shuffling and reading as they walked about, or discussing the latest seizure of children. "Maybe it was a good idea for us to come here." Nick said as they turned a corner. At the end of the next corridor was a large room, its door slightly ajar. That was where they were going. "It seems like if this is really Santoda Perkasa's plan, its working. This place was completely left unguarded."

Sara nodded in agreement. She and Nick walked towards the door, and into the room. There were about a dozen people there, watching the kids of various ages and doing what needed to be done. Most of the children were less than a year old, and needed constant attention. Matthew and Gabriel were a little older, though they were still almost completely dependant on their caretakers. They looked as Nick and Sara walked into the room, and immediately they reached up and started to fuss, wanting to be picked up.

Sara immediately smiled and walked up to them. "Hey Matthew, hi Gabriel! How are you guys doing?" Sara picked up one of the twins and started to play with him, wiggling her finger and letting him try and grasp it with his own.

"Hey, Gabriel." Nick said, approaching the two of them standing together. He smiled as he saw the other baby left in the crib start to get upset. "Hey little guy, no one's leaving you. Come here." He lifted the child up, and almost immediately the toddler was at ease, smiling and tittering in happiness.

The walked around with the twins up in their arms for almost twenty minutes when Nick spoke up. "Maybe we were wrong, Sara."

"What do you mean?" Sara asked, still walking around with Gabriel, who was almost asleep on her shoulder.

"Maybe this wasn't Perkasa's plan. Maybe this has less to do with the twins than you thought." Nick paused and looked at his watch. It was nearly ten-thirty in the morning. "Look, it's been four hours since the whole ordeal started. Don't you think that they'd have raided this place already?"

Sara stood and looked at Nick, though she was thinking over what he had just said. Finally she spoke. "Maybe you're right." Resignedly, she placed Gabriel back into his crib, much to his displeasure. "Come on, let's go."

Shattering glass and screams brought their plans to a screeching halt. The dozen women in the room with them screamed in fear, and looked about wildly. "Sara!" Nick called, gripping Matthew against his shoulder tighter so he wouldn't drop him. "It's them!"

"Nick, we have to get out of here." Sara said with her voice deathly calm, though her face had become very pallid. "Nick, is there any other way out?"

Nick looked about, but he couldn't see anything in that room except a few windows that they wouldn't be able to squeeze through. Caretakers were shaking or crying in various spots in the room, and some of the babies had started to scream from the noise and terror around them. "I don't know, but we need to keep them from getting in near here. You!" He called to one of the more calm workers and, laying Matthew back down into his crib and gesturing out of the room, made her run out to the hallway with him. "There must be an emergency exit somewhere around here. Where is it?"

"Over there." She gestured to a door to their right, near the middle of the hall. "It leads to an emergency exit hallway."

"Okay." Nick said. He heard more disturbances from the main room. "Listen up everyone," He addressed Sara and the rest of the caretakers, flitting about helplessly in panic. He was surprised by his own authoritative voice. "We need to block those men from coming in here. Put the kids down and start gathering everything you can, and place it in front of this spot." Nick took up a nearby end table and places it on the floor, just past the emergency exit. "We need to buy us some time so that we can escape the building without getting shot. Someone also needs to phone the police and tell them what's happening."

Everyone went fervently to their jobs, picking up wardrobes and tables and everything they could lift, and setting it out in the hallway, but one woman didn't budge. She stared at Sara and Nick. "Why are we doing this? The both of you have guns, we're protected!"

Nick looked at her. "Two guns won't do any good against twenty or more men with who knows what for weapons. We wouldn't stand a chance. We need to keep them behind the barrier until help arrives."

This caused her to shut up, and she started to also pick up anything that she could use to help block whatever was out there. When everything was used, Nick stood back. There were two dressers that spanned across the hallway, and laid across it were many tables, toys, plastic change tables, and anything else that one could find in a nursery. Nick backed up; now that all that could have been done was done, they were ready for the evacuation plan.

But everything seemed still. They could not hear the stirrings that they had heard before. Nick let go of a breath. "Hey," He asked the crowd, "Who phoned the police?"

"I did." A voice squeaked behind him, but he was still watching the barricade intently. He didn't dare turn around.

"What did they say?" Nick asked. "Did they give a T.O.A?"

"They said that they'd get here as soon as possible, that someone had already called them about a crime here. They said they only sent a few people, but they're sending more now."

"_Warrick."_ "Okay." Nick said. Now he turned around, but gunshots rang out again, and the room spiralled into panic again. "Calm _down_!" Nick roared, but only a few people seemed to grasp the message. Some of the women were sobbing in the corner, some caught in hysteric screeching. "Maybe that's the police, rounding up some people…"

A loud clunk from just on the other side of the barricade made Nick swing back around, and he saw a few small objects fall off of the makeshift wall. Nick felt his heart stop. _"Give us the twins!"_

_

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_**Hope the cliff-hanger ending of the chapter doesn't anger you enough to throw virtual tomatoes at me, haha. Hope you liked it! R&R if you have the time, and stay tuned:D**


	12. Enduring

**A/N: Don't own CSI, or anything else that CBS owns. You know the deal-eo;)**

**Okay, mid-term exams, not that bad, I suppose. I should be studying, but meh. You can only study so much before you start to feel your brain start to combust. Thus, I had time, so here is a new chapter. Oh, and once again, thanks to everyone who reviewed...you're awesome:D

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CHAPTER 12: ENDURING

"Go to hell!" Sara screamed from where she stood, in front of the crib that Matthew and Gabriel were in as they looked with wide blue eyes at the scene before them. She had her gun drawn, and trained on the barricade.

"We're not letting you get them!" Nick bellowed, backing up slightly and drawing his gun as well. They saw the makeshift wall bend uneasily against the force of the men on the other side, but it held fast. "Go away!"

Another gunshot rang out, and though no one knew where it had come from, everyone stopped. This shot sounded closer. "Look!" One of the caretakers pointed to a smoking hole in the wall. They were shooting into the room.

"Everybody down!" Sara hissed as she holstered her gun and took up the twins. She awkwardly grasped the two of them in her arms, and crawled against the wall, making sure she was protecting the frail bodies of Matthew and Gabriel. Everyone else followed suit, grabbing up children and, getting low on the ground, crawling against the walls. Nick, who remained standing with his gun still out, ducked behind a wall. Two more shots rang out, and stuck themselves in the wall next to the other bullet. "Don't be stupid! Let us in!"

"Go away!" Nick shouted again. His eyes flicked to the exit door, and he knew that they needed to get out of there quickly, before their wall collapsed and they were forced to face the onslaught of Dragons. Bending his knees, he started to stealthily make his way to the emergency exit door. Careful not to make a sound and get his head blown off by a bullet, he sidled up to the door, and he reached up and turned the knob. Nick was low to the ground, fortunately for him, because as soon as he cracked the door open another bullet was fired, lodging a few feet above his head in the hallway wall. _"Too close!" _Nick thought as he slammed the door closed and locked it, and crawled frantically back behind the wall as another barrage of bullets rained down on them from the people behind the barrier.

"This is crazy." Nick spoke to Sara as he dropped near her. "There's no way out. Those people will have the barrier broken down soon. How're we going to get out of here?"

"We don't." Sara breathed back, still holding the twins in her arms. She laid Matthew down on her leg, and took out her gun again. She passed it to Nick. "Whatever happens, we have to protect these kids with all of our power."

Nick nodded, and took Sara's gun along with his own, and stationed himself behind a jutting corner of the door. Then they had to wait until one of the groups broke through.

* * *

Greg crashed into the wall for the third time and fell ungracefully to the floor with a thud. Lying on his side, he groaned as he felt the spots on his body that were sure to be bruised when – and if - he ever got out of this mess. However, as he awkwardly got back up on to his feet, he moved his arms and felt the old and rotting pieces of wood wiggle; they were finally starting to crack.

Remembering his original observation on the state of the place, and of the chair, Greg had come up with the brilliant plan to break the already weakened chair. Though it had taken him a few hours to come up with that plan, he was confident that it would work. Although his movement was limited, using himself as the driving force, he didn't believe that it would take very many hits to break the chair. But it had taken more than he had thought it would. It was more painful than he at first thought as well, to ram full speed into the wall while half-sitting in a chair.

Greg walked and waddled back to the opposite end of the shack, facing the door. He took a few bracing breaths, gathered up his nerve and started racing backwards towards the wall. Closing his eyes, he kept going until he felt the familiar jerking, twinge, shaking, and then the memorable feeling of falling in a heap to the floor.

Greg shook his head, trying to regain his senses, and when the room stopped spinning, he tried moving his arms again. The give in the wooden spindles was greater this time. "I don't want to run myself into the wall again…" Greg spoke to himself, gathering his thoughts, "The wood is weak enough now. Maybe if I just add a little strain to it, it'll break."

Taking his arms, Greg tried to bring them towards each other while also applying pressure to the cracked wood of the chair backing. Gritting his teeth, he gave it all the strength he could, and he suddenly felt it give a little more, and he heard a louder crack, and in an instant, his arms came together, and the backing fell away.

"Ha!" Greg cried triumphantly as he stood up straight. He ignored the dull ache that had formed in his arms, and the rest of his body, as he set himself to work on getting up the pluck to do the next part of his plan. Looking at the little lamp, still burning despite the winds outside, he grimaced as he thought of how much the next part of his plan would hurt.

Greg walked slowly over to the lamp, careful not to put out the little flame by creating air from walking. Carefully sitting down and looking over his shoulder, he guided his hands to the glass covering. His fingertips touch the hot surface, but he ignored it and picked it up in his hands. He tossed it in an odd way to the side, and then started to pull up his sleeved with his teeth. The last thing he wanted was to set them on fire in the loose flame. Once they were up to his elbows, Greg was ready. But he stopped. He took a few deep breaths, trying to get up his nerve, but he couldn't seem to do it.

"I don't actually need to get rid of this, do I?" Greg said softly to himself. "I can just do what I did before, and ram the door down with my shoulder. It's what I planned on doing anyways, even if I free my hands. And even if that didn't work, I could always crawl out through the window by standing on the chair. I can get out if I try, and maybe I can find an easier way to break the zip-tie?"

However, he knew why he needed to get rid of it now. He had already rationalized it. "No…I'm probably in the middle of nowhere, or right in the middle of a war-zone, and I'll need my hands to get out of there without getting killed. I need to do it."

He took a few more deep breaths for good measure, and then stuck his hands a tiny bit above the flames. The heat immediately made his raw wrists scream in pain, and Greg shut his eyes as the little, yet very hot, flame licked at his hands. He felt the plastic zip-tie start to heat up, and it added to the agony that Greg was feeling at that very moment. He cried out after a minute of the heat and flames, but he willed himself to keep his hands above the flame. All the while he kept a certain strain on the bonds, pulling his arms apart so that as soon as the bonds weakened enough, he could break it and end the self-torture he was putting himself through. Greg opened his watering eyes after a while, and looked out through the window. The sky was still a bright azure blue, with lazy, wispy clouds floating serenely past, propelled by the wind. The sun was still nowhere in sight, though it was obviously out. Greg had no idea how much time had passed, or how much time he had left. He never had a watch on at the crime scene, and he couldn't feel his cell phone in his pocket.

Greg clenched his eyes shut again as a wave of pain pulsed through him. He felt the sweat rolling down his back and down his forehead from a combination of resisting the pain and his close proximity to the little oil lamp. Wind blew into the ramshackle shed and the flame got momentarily higher, making Greg's hands sizzle. He roared in pain, and he had to hold himself in place to make sure he didn't pull his hand away. He sobbed, and tried pulling his arms apart with more force. The zip-tie snapped, and his arms came flying apart. As fast as he could Greg hopped up from the flame and took his hands in front of him to see how badly they were injured.

Through still-watering eyes, he could see the bloody imprint of the zip-tie on the outsides of his wrists, made deeper by his constant pulling away. His hands were of a red three shades darker than the rest of his arm, some parts with visibly charred skin on it. They stung horribly, but Greg was free; and that fact alone was worth the pain. All that was left was for him to get out. He had two choices.

"I can ram the door down," Greg spoke low and shakily, his wrists still bothering him immensly, "or I can try and crawl out through the window. "He thought about it, and decided against causing himself more pain than he was already enduring. "I need to look out anyways, and see what I'm dealing with. I don't even know where I am."

Greg walked towards the remains of the chair, which now resembled a stool, and picked it up. Greg hissed; even moving his fingers to grasp objects pained him. But he kept his grip, and brought the chair back to the hole. He stepped carefully onto it, balancing himself by placing a flat hand against the wall. Looking out, he didn't know what to think. Outside he saw the outskirts of Las Vegas. Though it was like a hazy mirage on the horizon, Greg recognized the city, and he was elated at the fact that he knew where he was, if not about the distance he would now have to walk.

He lifted his arms and braced his elbows on the outside of the wall, and vaulted himself out and onto the sandy earth of the desert. Once he was out of the lasting shade of the shed, the full face of the sun looked down upon Greg, and he immediately felt its heat being absorbed by his body. Looking up at the sky and posotion of the sun, he gauged the time to be at about one in the afternoon. If Perkasa had given him the right time, it meant that he had been captive for nearly seven hours. Greg felt uneasy. "What if I'm too late and he's gotten to the twins, to Nick…Sara…"

He looked again towards the city, wavering in the hot air in his vision. It would take him a few hours at least to get back to the city, if he could last that long. He took the back of his sore hand and wiped some sweat from his face. He had gotten through one large trial, and he could get through this one.

He needed to get to Sara, Nick and the twins and do what he could to protect them before Santosa Perkasa could harm them.

* * *

All eyes were trained on the barricade in the narrow hallway. Every movement it undertook, every lurch and list it made was watched by wary eyes. Nick was on his knees, his gun and Sara's trained to shoot whoever was the unfortunate soul who took that first step in. Sara sat next to Nick with the twins in her lap, pale but fiery and determined. The twins would not fall into Perkasa's hands while she was alive. She would protect them with everything she had. Her maternal instinct raged inside her and made her wild. She felt like she could pounce and rip the throats out of every one of the Dragon's if they came in.

But until they did break in, she would not, and could not, do any such thing. With held breath, everyone in that room watched and waited, anticipating the door to break down at any moment. They heard the random curse thrown at them through the barrier, the rough voices demanding the twins be handed to them, and the constant thumps of men taking down their barrier piece by piece, or even simply trying to ram it down.

The waiting was the hardest part. It always was. And now, every second felt like years. Sara almost wished that they would break in, so that the seal that seemed to be placed on times flow would break. Everything was so still and quiet that Sara swore she could hear her sweat hit the ground in beads. Even the babies in the room, Matthew and Gabriel included, never made a sound. Every soul in the room was watching the makeshift wall, hoping it would hold fast and save them.

Suddenly, a large plastic changing table fell down, and a gaping hole was left linking both sides of the hallway. Everyone jumped up; this was it.

"Stop right now or I will shoot!" Nick shouted as he saw an arm spring through the hole. "I will shoot!"

"So will we, unless you hand over the kids." Said a voice form the other side. "So just give them to us."

"Never!" Sara screamed as she stood up with everyone else. "We're not letting you have them. Accept it. Go tell Perkasa that he's not getting what he wants this time."

The people on the other side of the wall stopped speaking, perhaps surprised that anybody knew who was really behind it. "Just hand them over, and you won't all die."

Sara never replied, but looked at Nick, who still had his gun trained on the door. "Nick, what are you doing?" Sara shouted at him, "Shoot them before they shoot us."

But Nick remained still, his gun trained on the blockade. His eyes looked at something past Sara, and then shifted towards their fixated position on the barrier, but Sara followed their path, and she saw what Nick had seen. That wonderful beacon of red and blue shone in through the small windows of the room, and Sara smiled. The police had come at last.

Sara looked back at the arm that was still trying to take down the barrier, and suddenly she saw it withdraw quickly. "Damn it, the police are here already?"

"I thought you said we'd have plenty of time?"

"Never mind that. Run you idiots! Run!"

"Las Vegas PD, put your hands up!"

A barrage of screaming voices came through the barrier, and a series of hurried footsteps followed by large thumps hit the people in the nursery. A few gunshots were heard at first, but it was quickly dispelled. The confused noises went on for a few minutes, with everyone still holding their breath. And then, nearly ten minutes later, an eye could be seen at the eyehole.

"Nick? Sara? You in there?"

"Ah, Warrick!" Nick yelled in joy as he dropped his gun and ran towards the heap of old toys and wood. He started to shovel them away, along with a few of the workers who had not suffered from a severe case of shock and realized the horror was over. It took only a minute for what remained of the barrier to be heaved aside, and Warrick and Nick exchanged a brotherly embrace.

"Man, am I glad to see you!" Nick said again.

"You're a total idiot, you know that? You and Sara." Warrick replied, though not completely angrily. "You knew what you'd be getting into, and you still went in and got yourself in trouble."

"Yeah, but we have a good reason." Nick said, allowing room for Warrick to pass. They walked back into the room, where some of the workers were finally coming out of their stupor and tending to the kids, and up to Sara who was comforting the twins, though somewhat awkwardly. A child in each arm was a little to much to handle. Nick walked over and picked up Matthew.

"Hey, Warrick." Sara greeted him, the relief and pure appreciation so apparent in her voice that it was enough of a thank you. "Meet Matthew and Gabriel Powell. They're the kids of that murdered couple from about a week back. The one's we believe Perkasa is after."

Warrick looked at the kids and, like everyone else who had ever gazed upon them, he smiled. "Hey little guys." Warrick greeted them gently. He smiled wider as they laughed, but then he looked back up at Nick and Sara. "This is serious matter."

"We figured that out when we were being shot at, Warrick, thanks for the update." Sara replied bitterly. She immediately felt guilty though, and shot him an apologetic glance. "Sorry, Warrick. I'm a bit stressed, if it isn't already obvious. Have you heard anything on Greg?"

Warrick frowned. "No, and it's really starting to worry me. If they haven't contacted us already, well…"

Nick and Sara looked alarmed. "It doesn't mean anything." Warrick covered swiftly. "Maybe Perkasa is waiting until he sees that this plan works or not."

"I hope so." Sara sighed sorrowfully. "Because if Greg doesn't come back I don't know what I'll do, because it's my fault that he's in this mess."

"Don't do that Sara." Nick chided, "It's not your fault. It's Perkasa's. He's going to pay for this if it's the last thing I do. And he's not getting the twins."

"I doubt he will either." Warrick said cryptically, and it caused Nick and Sara to look at him.

"What does that mean?" Sara asked. "Why do you seem so confident?"

"The police are now arresting the people who were here, from the back and front exits. Seeing as this was the second attack, the twins are being moved to the police department for special protection."

Sara gaped at him. "Are you serious? Really?" She broke out into a smile. "That's wonderful! The twins will definitely be safe now!" But thinking of what Greg's reaction would be to the news sobered her immediately, and she felt even guiltier for being happy while he was enduring who knows what.

"Does Perkasa know that fact?" Nick asked, not noticing Sara's split-reaction change in feelings.

"No, I doubt it. None of the Dragon's crew knows it either, and I know all of these officers well. None of them are moles." He referred to Officer Craig Werner, who had exposed them the first time. "They wouldn't spill something so important to some crooks."

"Is there some way we can use that to our advantage?" Nick asked. "I mean, this is a very useful piece of information."

"The last time we tried using information to trick Perkasa, we lost Greg." Sara reasoned. "I think it's too much of a risk."

"Well, whatever we do, we do it after lunch. A late lunch, anyways. It's nearly one now. You guys just went through a rough one, you should go get some lunch from the _safe _part of town, take a breather. I'll keep working on finding Greg. We'll question these bozos."

"There's a safe part of this town?" Nick asked as he placed Matthew back in his crib, but saw Warrick's expression. "Yeah, we'll take a lunch break. I personally need it. Thanks Warrick."

Sara went and placed Gabriel next to his brother, and she paused at the side of the crib to run her hand through his blonde hair. It was bittersweet; while two people she loved were safe from danger for now, another was somewhere, being held captive by a crazed power-hungry madman. She took a shuddering breath. _"Where are you, Greg?" _She thought helplessly. _"Please be safe, wherever you are."

* * *

_Nick took a large chomp out of his hamburger, hardly taking the time to chew before he swallowed. He looked over at Sara, who hadn't touched much of her leafy green salad. "Sara?" He enquired, making her look up from where she was staring at her reflection mournfully in her spoon. "What's on your mind?" 

"The same thing that's on yours, I would hope." Sara replied, taking her fork and savagely piercing a piece of lettuce. "Greg."

"Yeah." He replied, taking another bite. Sara looked at him, and then went back to her spoon. Nick frowned. "Look, Sar, really, if you're blaming yourself…"

"It's not going to help, I know." Sara finished his sentence. "But I can't control how I feel."

"No, but think about it. Greg wanted to help the twins of his own accord. It's not your fault he's kidnapped."

"So what, we blame him for this and leave him?" Sara hissed as she shoved a tomato forcefully into her mouth, grinding it into pieces with her gritted teeth.

"I never said that." Nick answered back, fitting the remainder of the hamburger into his mouth. "We just need to wait to see what our options are."

"Oh, hold on." Sara muttered in an irritated tone. She searched her pockets for her ringing cell phone and finally produced it from the pockets of her jeans. She checked the I.D. and went as white as a sheet.

"Sara?" Nick asked with concern as he saw her go pale. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

Sara held up a finger and shushed Nick as she listened to the speaker. She became even paler throughout the conversation, but her face was set in hard lines, fury and worry in every aspect of her face. The conversation was one-sided with Sara never speaking a word, and lasted only a minute. When Sara took the phone from her ear, she was very well near tears.

"Sara." Nick demanded, "Who was that?"

"That was Santosa Perkasa." Sara whispered.

Nick's eyes popped. "What? Sara, how could he have gotten your number?"

Sara let a tear finally fall from her eye. "He was using Greg's cell phone."

* * *

**This is going on longer than I though it would...awesome! Haha, anyways, hope you guys enjoy, until next chapter, please R&R, and have a good day!!!**


	13. Showdown At Sunset

**A/N: Sorry for the neglect. But the good news: I did really well with my exams:) Haha, so no computer confiscations for me, and thus I have a double feature, two chapters! Hope you enjoy it! After these two, only one chapter left! Oh, and about the next chapter, a note: make your own assumptions. You'll understand what I mean when you read it. Oh, and if you see any mistakes (grammatical, or plotholes) let me know. I'll try and fix them and repost.**

**Here you go, now. I repeat myself: I hope you enjoy. 

* * *

**

CHAPTER 13: SHOWDOWN AT SUNSET

An uncomfortable tension hung over them while the sat in the diner. Sara was biting her lip to keep herself under control, and Nick was still shocked at what Sara had just told him.

"He used Greg's cell phone?" He repeated her words to make sure he had heard her right. She nodded. "How did he know to call you?"

Sara shook her head. "All I know is that he knows that I'm the one who keeps thwarting his plans. I've never seen this man before, and I'm scared. Greg was right. His voice is so pitiless and cold. I'm scared for Greg, and for us."

Nick was silent. He looked at his plate of fries that remained, but suddenly he found his appetite gone. After a while he asked, "What did he say, exactly?"

Sara took a breath. "At first, he was just speaking like it was an everyday conversation. He did all the talking. He commented on the weather, and…look, that doesn't matter. After that he mentioned, 'a charming young man.' He must mean Greg. I can't see Greg willingly give up his name. He said that he was still alive, though if we didn't comply with his demands, he wouldn't be alive for long." Sara looked out the window, pursing her lips. "You know what he wants."

"He must realize that legally, we're not allowed to do that." Nick said. "Santosa Perkasa is familiar with police workings, because he's been able to avoid us for all this time. So there's no way that he believes that we'd be able to take the twins and just give them up to him. Unless," Nick added, "he wants us to do it illegally."

"There's no other explanation for it." Sara agreed.

"Well, we have to talk to someone in the force, to figure out what we do from here."

"We can't do that." Sara stopped him. "Perkasa told me to not go to the police, and that the minute I did, he'd be destroyed. And Perkasa probably has some form of spy he uses to keep tabs on us. We can't take that chance."

Nick paused. "Okay then. What do we do?"

Sara didn't reply immediately. She honestly had only the beginnings of a plan in her head, but nothing concrete. "Well," She began, "The way I see it, this is all or nothing. Everything goes. We need to get Greg back at all costs with this dare, or we don't get him back at all."

"Yeah," Nick agreed, "but that still means that we need a plan."

A sly smile came into Sara's lips. "Perkasa doesn't know that the twins are being kept at the station. And Warrick said that only the most trusted officers know of it, so none of Perkasa's spies should be able to bring this news to him."

Nick seemed to catch on to her plan quickly. "I told you we could use that to our advantage."

"The question is how?" Sara asked. This was where her plan ideas stopped. "I mean, there's only so much you can do alone. Without police back-up, we're going to have a tough time to cover this up and keep our unauthorized involvement in Perkasa's plans away from Ecklie's, or even Grissom's, ears."

"Since we're being threatened, I think we have a legitimate excuse for doing this without contacting higher authorities." Nick assured her. "But we still need to contact the team about this. Someone we can trust. Perkasa contacted us through Greg's phone, and that's all they need to know, nothing more."

"Leave that to me." Sara said. "I think I have an idea for that too." She looked at the clock hanging up above the diner counter. "It's two-thirty. Perkasa told me that he'd meet us at twenty to six."

"Hold on a minute." Nick stopped her. "Why that time? Doesn't that strike you as odd?"

"Yeah, I don't know either, but I didn't exactly have time to ask, 'Hey, Santosa, why that time? That doesn't work for me, can we reschedule?'." Sara leaned back in her seat. "I don't really care what time he said. I just want to see Greg back safe and sound."

Nick nodded and leaned forward on the table, his head in his hands. "I don't like this Sara. It feels like we're walking into a trap again."

"What choice do we have?" Sara asked. "I'm not leaving Greg. Like I said, this is all or nothing. I'm saving Greg, or I die. Either way I'm going, with or without you."

"You don't have to say it like that." Nick murmured. "You know I feel the same way. All I want to know is do we have a plan? He wants twins, and if we don't have twins, I'm pretty sure we won't get Greg. You know that whole you don't get something for nothing theology."

"Um…" Sara hung her head in thought. "Well, I have a plan, but it's a bit of a stretch. I don't think it's a very concrete plan to use."

"Well, we're going to have to use it now. We have three hours and ten minutes…wait a minute." Nick stopped himself again. "Where're we supposed to meet him?"

"He said meet him at the edge of town." Sara said, closing her eyes to help her recall the words stored in her head.

Nick growled. "I really don't like this…not at all."

Sara shrugged her shoulders. "I know that, but I have no choice. If I leave Greg with Perkasa, I may as well go with him, because as far as I can tell, this whole mess is my entire fault. I have to do something about it." Now she looked at Nick, eye to eye, and spoke with a serious tone. "You don't have to go, you know. It would probably be best if I went alone"

Now Nick gave a very uneasy smile. "The hell I won't. I can't leave you like that. What kind of a gentleman would I be if I did that?"

Despite how she felt at the moment, she had to smile at her Texan friend's loyalty towards her, and undoubtedly towards Greg. "Thank you." She said in an appreciating tone. She stood up then, throwing a bill on the table to pay for her almost untouched food. "Now, shall we get going? We need to visit a few placed and get my plan started."

Nick stood up too, and following suit in placing money on the table and trailing her out of the diner. "What was the plan again?"

* * *

It was five-thirty on the dot when Sara and Nick arrived at the designated place. They stood in the warm air on the line that separated Las Vegas from the harsh elements of the desert, right next to a large red cliff that jutted off into the distance, away from both the desert and the city. Little twisters of sand blew past them, causing them to squint and hold the tiny bundles in their arms closer to them, to keep them safe. To the west, more than half of the sun remained, casting a fiery orange and red on everything in sight. It seemed like the world was on fire.

Sara and Nick had spent the last three hours getting everything ready for this moment. They had guns in their holsters, ready to fire and with full ammo. Nick carried a bag of things across his shoulders that included water, a first aid kit, and a few emergency baby supplies. He also carried something else, but it was hidden from view.

They both felt horrible nervousness in the pit of their stomachs. The whole day had been nothing but a stressor on them, and it was starting to take their toll. The only thing keeping them going was adrenaline and the knowledge that this was their last chance to get Greg back.

Sara looked at her cell phone for the time. It was twenty-five to six. "I wish they'd come here already." She called to Nick over the wind, despite the fact that he was only a few feet from her. "I can't understand why they'd want to do a trade-off here, at this time of day. It's still daylight, and we're in the open."

"There's a reason." Nick called back to her as he paced back and forth. "We just don't know it yet."

Sara looked around. There didn't seem to be a living soul out here on the city limits, and yet she felt another presence aside from the ones she knew about. "Do you think Grissom will send anyone here?"

"Probably." Nick said, causing Sara to look over at him with alarm. "Not right away." Nick elaborated, seeing her expression change. "Grissom knows better than that. He may not seem like he understands people, but he knows a lot more than we give him credit for."

Sara didn't say anything. She didn't hold out a lot of hope for Grissom's understanding of people. "If you say so, Nick, but for our sakes I hope you're right."

"Trust me," Nick said, "I wouldn't feel so confident about it if it wasn't Grissom who knew. Are you sure he got the message?" Nick added after a second.

"Positive." Sara said, remembering their plan to get the message over to them. "It worked when Catherine did it. It didn't make as much of a splash as a severed finger did, but I'm sure that leaving that message will work."

"Was it encrypted too much for them, do you think?" Nick asked. " 'Cause I don't want to be relying on backup that won't come."

"This is where I believe that Grissom will come through." Sara said. "Even if he can't understand women, he can understand puzzles."

"Aren't they the same thing?" Nick tried to crack a joke, and Sara smiled in return. She appreciated his attempt in remaining positive, even when she felt so desperately far away from it. Her cell phone rang, and she felt the adrenaline rush through her system. She looked at Nick, whose smile had faded, and he stared at the phone in her hand.

Adjusting the blanketed bundle comfortably in her arms, she flicked open the cell phone. "It's Greg's cell phone again." She said, before she immediately put it to her ear.

"_Start climbing."_

"What?" Sara asked stupidly. She hadn't expected this different voice to just cut to the chase. "Who's this?"

"_Climb the cliff. There's a path that leads up to the top near where you are. Climb it."_

"Wait…wait!" Sara tried, but the other line had clicked. No one was there anymore. "Damn it." She cursed as she threw her arms down in frustration. "We're being led by a damn leash."

"What did they say?" Nick asked with concern in seeing Sara's anger. "That wasn't a long conversation, what did they say? Where are they?"

Sara grunted. "We have to take the trail up the cliff."

Nick looked up slowly. "That's probably not good." Sara looked at him with pure irritation on her face. "We have to get a move on, I guess." Nick continued, walking over to a few pieces of old thin wood that had at one time been a tiny tree. He took the sticks and brought them over to their vehicle.

"What are you doing?" Sara asked after watched al this with no clue as to what he was trying to accomplish.

"Leaving another puzzle." Nick said, creating an arrow out of the wood. Then he stuck the wood on the hood of the car and, bending it, made it to point towards the edge of the cliff top. "We need to keep on our toes, Sara."

"Good thinking Nick." Sara said. She turned towards the cliff. "You got any other ideas?"

Nick came to stand beside her. "Nope."

Sara sighed. "Come on. Nothing left to do but go up."

They started towards the cliff, spanning across it for the start of the supposed path. Sara spotted it, but she nearly choked when she followed the trail with her eyes along the side of the cliff. The way was treacherous.

However, she took in an encouraging breath and started along it, still holding tightly to the precious thing in her arms. She couldn't afford to drop it, and she hoped Nick was as careful with the one he carried. In the blazing red of the sun behind her, she could see fairly well the path in front of her, but still she was uneasy. It would be so easy to slip and fall. She recalled all of the broken skeletons and crushed skulls she had processed out here and shivered. She forced herself to look ahead of her, to make sure she didn't become another brittle pile of bones, turning to dust and eventually joining the sands of the desert that even still blew in her face as she continues to climb.

It took them fifteen minutes to reach the top of the cliff, out of breath and with their muscles aching from the steady climb up. Sara's arms felt stiff from having them up for so long, holding on as if for dear life to the child in her arms. Blonde hair stuck out from the blanket, but Sara quickly brushed it back.

The desert spanned as far as the eye could see, and further. The sandy dunes looked orange in the strange light before nightfall, but it was distorted from the heat that still rose from the sand. The desert was not an evil thing. It was just a place that people underestimated. You could die of heat exhaustion in daytime, and freeze during the night. Sara was warm, but she could feel the temperature drop, creating goose bumps on her skin. Soon it would be cold. She and Nick needed to find Greg soon.

"Hello, Ms. Sidle, Mr. Stokes." They turned sharply at their voices, but could only see a shadow of a man in front of them. The top of the sun still rested on the horizon from where they stood like a great ball of fire, and kept them from making out anything in front of them. "I certainly am glad you decided to join me up here. I didn't think you'd come."

"Where's Greg?" Sara asked, still trying to see in front of her. She tried to balance the delicate package in her arms and use the other to block the sun. Even as she did, she could only see a shadow about twenty feet from her. "You said he'd be here."

"Don't worry." The shadow said. "You'll see him soon. In the meanwhile…" He stepped towards them. "The twins…I would like to have them now."

"Not until I see Greg. Not until we have Greg." Sara spoke again. She had grown unconscious of Nick's presence; the only ones on the cliff top was the shadow and her. "Where is he?" She glanced around. "I can't see him."

"He's within sight of us." The shadow said cryptically. He paused. "You know, Ms. Sidle and Mr. Stokes, you and your friend have caused us a lot of trouble. No one has ever tried to resist giving up what we wanted before."

"Going after innocent kids? That was asking for trouble." Sara countered.

"Still, you should have known better than to do what you did. Sending that young man in the Dragon's Den, to try and trap one of the biggest names in Las Vegas? That was suicidal."

"We all agreed that you needed to be stopped." Sara said. "It's one thing to go after someone your own size, but to try and kill innocent babies, you need to be stopped. Why are you doing this? You must realize that you've done what you needed to do. This is overkill."

"I leave nothing behind. A Komodo dragon overkills everything. What their powerful bites don't accomplish, their bacterial saliva and tongue will. And then, they never leave anything behind but the remains of a carcass."

"Are you a Komodo dragon?" Sara asked the shadow with sarcasm. The sun only poked above the cliff now, and the glare was decreasing. Soon she would be able to see him clearly, and be able to see Greg.

"No, but I model myself after them. They are the apex predator." The shadow said.

"Where's Greg?" Nick asked this time, and Sara seemed to remember that he was there.

The shadow moved, but for what Sara could not be sure. Sara's arm rushed for her gun, but the shadow returned to his normal state. "Yes, I think it's about time. Here's how it'll be done. You lay the twins on the ground over there, to your right, and then I'll show you your friend…Greg?"

Sara seemed uncertain. "What if Greg isn't here?"

The other man anticipated the question. "If he isn't, well, you can get the twins again. You'll be closer to them than I will."

Sara accepted this, and with a glance at Nick they both walked over to a spot to their right, and placed the small wrapped bundles on the ground next to each other. The looked towards the shadow again, just as the sun set. As it disappeared behind the red cliff, Sara and Nick could make out the face of the shadow. Sara gasped. "You're not Perkasa!"

"Look out over the cliff!" Shouted the strange man. "You can find Greg there."

Sara's eyes went wide as she turned towards the vast expanse of the desert, forgetting momentarily all about the creatures they placed on the ground. She heard it before she saw anything. A large crack shook the air, and she swore she could feel the rumbling in the ground shake her. Off in the distance she saw a large spout of fire shoot into the air like that of a volcano.

Sara stared at the explosion, her mind and body gone numb. Sara could think of nothing that had felt as horrible in her life as watching the smoke rise from her friend's grave in the desert. She did feel the tears leak from the corners of her eyes, at last, and she did nothing to hold them in anymore.

She didn't even hear the sound of gunfire behind her.


	14. It's Not Over Yet

**CHAPTER 14: IT'S NOT OVER YET**

"Down Sara!"

She felt herself pushed down to the ground by Nick, who looked as pale and horrified as she did, but looked like he was more aware. There were gunshots, and she hadn't even heard them. She looked up and saw the stranger running with his gun towards the twins, still shooting them. He stopped by the remains, and looked at them, a maniacal expression on his face. He laughed. "I didn't think you'd be able to bring them here, but you did. You were stupid enough to bring them, and now they're dead. Your friend, dead. You will die. Finally, Perkasa will be able to sleep, and I will be able to…"

His words trailed off as he stared at the bullet-riddled lump on the cliff. He looked at it, and stared at it with wide eyes. "No…" He started, as he knelt down on the ground and tore off the blankets. He tossed them aside, and his jaw dropped when he saw two pig carcasses, dressed in sleepers and blonde wigs, staring back at him. "No!" He screamed, grabbing his hair with his hands.

Nick jumped up, and quickly and smoothly pulled out his gun and aimed for the man. "Put down your weapon and put your hands behind your back!" He shouted. Sara slowly rose as well, and trained her gun on the man. "I'm not going to say it again."

The man quietly complied, much to Sara and Nick's surprise. He tossed his gun away from him, and still on the ground, put his hands behind his back. Nick was about to go forward, but a noise from above them made them stop.

"Look Sara." Nick said, making her look up. Above them was a helicopter with a spotlight on it, though its light was hardly needed. The sky was still light enough to see by, though Sara couldn't care less if were pitch-black out. She saw the helicopter start to land, and she heard noises behind her. When she looked, she saw her team members behind her, out of breath from the climb, but with elated faces.

"Nicky! Sara!" Catherine came running over and gave them each a hug that they could not reciprocate. Sara barely acknowledged they were there. "We got your message. But a piece of paper in my sandwich order from Frank's diner? You could have found some other way."

Warrick appeared next to her, and looked at the man on the ground, now being arrested by officers from the helicopter. "That's not Santosa Perkasa. Must be one of his goons. Oh well, we have him now. Good job guys."

"We couldn't do it in time, guys." Nick whispered. "We failed…" His gaze went to that of the smoky remains of the explosion.

"What are you talking about?" Catherine laughed slightly. "I mean, Matthew and Gabriel are safe, and we got another one of Perkasa's guys, the crime spree has ended…"

"_How _can you laugh?" Sara spat. "We couldn't save Greg. You see that?" She pointed angrily towards the desert. "We couldn't save Greg! He's…he's…" Sara bit her lip again.

"Who, Greg?" Warrick asked. "No, he's fine."

Sara and Nick looked at the two of them. "What?" Sara asked. "That's impossible…we saw that shack in the desert explode, there's no way he survived it, and no one knew about it."

"I never saw any explosion," Catherine said, looking at the rising tower of smoke and ash, "well, I guess that's what he meant. Greg said he escaped from some shack in the desert that was going to explode. Believe it or not, we saw him walking out of the desert when we came to back you up. He came walking out of the desert like a mirage himself."

"He's alive?" Sara repeated hopefully. "He's really safe?"

"Uh-huh." Catherine nodded.

"Where's he to? Is he okay? When can we go and see him? Is he awake?" Sara threw a barrage of questions at Catherine and Warrick, but couldn't continue because tears of sheer relief were pouring down her cheeks. Nick, too, was smiling freely now, the weight of the world off of his shoulders.

"Calm down Sara." Warrick laughed. "We're going to see him now. When we met up, he wasn't dying, but he was still in a bad way. Grissom volunteered to bring him to the hospital. We're going now, if you want to come."

"You don't have to ask twice." Nick said, walking with Sara, Catherine and Warrick back down the path and towards the hospital.

* * *

"Seriously, Grissom, I'm fine."

"No you aren't. Sit down Greg."

"I really am okay. Look, my heart rate is good, blood pressure…good"

"_Sit _down and put that stuff _back_."

The voices of Grissom and Greg could be heard down the hallway. As soon as Greg's voice hit them, Sara and Nick raced down the hallway, following the trail of reprimands and repetitive assurances of, 'I'm okays.' The reached the room the nurse had directed them to, and poked their heads through it.

Sandy curls. Brown, mischievous eyes, charmers smile. There he was, sitting on a hospital bed with an IV inserted into his hand.

"Greg!" Sara called out to him and ran quickly into the room with Nick close behind.

Greg looked up, and as soon as he saw his friends his smile grew. "Hey, you're okay…_oof!_" He was tackled by Sara, who hugged him with extreme force and knocked the wind out of him. Nick also came in and stood next to them, ready to also grab Greg and embrace him. Grissom just looked at the scene with one of his contented smiles.

"Sara…_Sara_…I can't breath." Greg managed to get out as Sara was still compressing his body with her bear hug. She let him go and gave him a fleeting kiss on his lips.

"Don't ever do that again, Greggo, or I'll blow you up myself." Sara then said as she moved over to let Nick in.

"Thanks for the encouraging words Sara, I'll keep them in mind the next time someone wants to kidnap…_ugh!_" His sarcastic remark was cut short by Nick's monstrous brotherly hug.

Sara smiled, but the smile faded as she was finally able to look him over. His face was fairly sunburned, and she could make out a bruise on his cheek. She couldn't see what was on his body; it was still covered by clothes. She could see his wrists and hands, and they horrified her. Thin but deep red gashes surrounded the outer part of Greg's wrists, swollen and red from infection. Dried blood covered his hands and his arms. His hands and fingers themselves did not look good as well. She could see some black and dead skin hanging from his hands, and what wasn't burned was a mix of red and white. "Oh Greg…" She started, but she was cut off.

"Okay." Greg said, following her gaze to his hands. "Before you say anything about it, I'll tell you now. I burned 'em a little, that's all. My hands we're tied, so I had to break the bond somehow. It was lucky that Perkasa left that lamp."

Sara shook her head. "This shouldn't have happened…" She muttered but Greg stopped her again.

"Look, Sara. This isn't your fault. It isn't Nick's fault." He nodded his head in Nick's direction, so that he would listen as well. "It was just what happens when you try to get involved with a madman." He saw Nick and Sara's eyes get wide, and they looked at Grissom. Greg sighed. "I told him."

"Yes, you did." Grissom said in his mild tone, looking over at Nick, Sara and Greg. They visibly relaxed at hearing his voice, which wasn't angry in the least. "I really don't know what to say. You know better than to get so involved with a case, and I know you know that now. We nearly paid a dear price for it." The three of them hung their heads. "However, I can't see how this impedes with your career. You never broke any laws, nor did you do any misconduct. I can't punish you for ambiguous evidence and cases."

Nick tried to not smile. "So, you're letting us get off with just a talk?"

Grissom smiled as he got up. "Not a chance. I'm supervisor. I can give you guys any cases I want. The decomp gets really nice and rancid in this weather."

Nick stood up as well. "Oh come on Griss, that's not fair and you know it."

"That's the way the cookie crumbles." Grissom said. He looked back at Sara and Greg. "Nick and I are going to get coffee. You want something?"

Sara nodded, but Greg stuck out his tongue in disgust. "Grissom, I just spent a day in desert heat. I'm still trying to get cool, so no coffee, thank you."

Grissom nodded, and left with Nick, still arguing for no decomp scenes. He looked back at Greg and Sara and mouthed that he'd get them off without any messy scenes, and then darted off with Grissom. It was just Sara and Greg.

"Sara, what happened when I was gone?" Greg asked nonchalantly. He leaned back and rested his head against the pillow of the bed. "God, I never realized how tired I was."

Sara didn't answer right away. She looked at Greg, who had his eyes closed, and wondered how he could deal with his kidnapping so easily. She didn't push the question immediately, however, and decided to answer his. "It hasn't been completely boring. Nick and I were nearly made into Swiss cheese."

Greg shot back up. "_What?_ What happened? When did it happen?"

"Calm down, Greg. We're obviously okay." She stopped to think of the best way to go about telling him. "Did Griss tell you about everything that has been going on since this morning?"

"No. All he's said is that he was glad I was okay, saying I needed to get to a hospital, and that he was glad I was all right because of what's been going on. I just thought he meant my kidnapping, and the whole thing with you and Nick on the cliff…"

"Okay, Greg, I get it." Sara laughed at his run-off sentence, and he grinned. She sobered. "You really haven't heard about it then?" Greg shook his head. "Well…look, maybe this'll be better." She took up the remote control and flocked on the TV.

"_Breaking news: A madman is apprehended by police tonight on the cliffs just outside town. He is suspected to be tied to the wave of crime that happened this morning on the east side of town, and to the large-scale attempted break-in of a child services building on the west side of town near noon. So far we have very little detail over what the incident on the cliffs was all about, but we do know that two children were seen being evacuated from the building around two this afternoon, apparently casualties of the terrible assault which was quickly dissipated by police. No one else was injured thanks to the quick efforts a few people in the room who managed to erect a barrier and slow the suspects down long enough for police to intervene. As soon as we get more news on the events of this topsy-turvy day, we will bring it live to you. Now, over to Lynn for weather…"_

"Sara…the twins." Greg said quietly. He looked at her. "Are the all right? Were they the ones evacuated?"

"Yes, but they weren't hurt." She said to quickly assure him. "They're being brought to the police station to be looked after."

Greg's face brightened. "That means that Perkasa will never be able to get at them. Sara this is terrific news…wait a minute." He changed topic mid-sentence. "'Quick efforts of a few people'? Were you and Nick there?" Sara nodded. "Then are you okay? No one got in and hurt you, did they?"

"No, we're fine." Sara said. She looked at Greg, who had eased back on to his elbows on the bed. "But I'm wondering the same thing about you."

"I told you before, I'm fine." Greg answered, closing his eyes again.

"Greg," Sara started, feeling like he wasn't being honest, "you were kidnapped in the woods, drugged, and carried out into the desert where you had to do that,"she pointed, "to your hands and wrists to get away, and then walk for hours back to the city without water."

"It isn't that bad, Sara." Greg said in such an eased manner that Sara almost felt angry. She looked at him again. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you the reason."

"Try me." Sara coaxed. She grinned. "I don't know if you know this about me, but I'm a great listener."

Greg looked up at her and grinned as well. "Well, you know what? I'll tell you what happened first." And he did, explaining every detail of his kidnapping, the attacks, and then the odd conversation he had had face to face with Santosa Perkasa. Every time Sara's face would distort in pain or pity for him, he would always reassure her. "And none of that really bothered me," Greg continued, this time blushing a bit through the sunburn on his face, "until he mentioned hurting the twins, and you."

Sara caught the last few words and blushed as well. Her mind and heart started racing, wondering if he had meant it in any other context, but the doctor came in before either of them could react. Both of them looked up to see him come in.

"Okay, Mr. Sanders." The doctor greeted him as he read from his clipboard, "Says you came in with a case of dehydration and fairly bad sunburns to your face, along with second to third degree burns on your hands. And that's what we could see!" The doctor remarked.

"It's been a busy day." Greg joked as Sara moved from where she was sitting next to him to a chair.

"Well, let's see if anything else is wrong with you." He stopped and looked at Sara, and said to Greg, "You'll need to remove your shirt."

"It's fine. She can stay." Greg said without hesitating, looking over at Sara. She had started to blush again and stared at the floor momentarily. The doctor said okay and Greg started to undo his shirt. Sara looked up, but tried not to stare out of courtesy. And despite Greg's body being much better to look at than she had previously believed, she had to stare anyway. His chest was blotched with blacks and blue bruises. Whatever had happened to Greg had to have been painful and horrifying. She was amazed that Greg was not cringing in pain with just the doctor checking his condition out. Perhaps there was more merit to what he said than she gave him credit before, and that thought made her flush all over again. Sara stared at her friend's horrible condition, and when she looked up, Greg was looking critically at her.

"Mr. Sanders!" the doctor exclaimed, as shocked as Sara was at seeing the bruises. "What have you been doing to yourself?"

"This wasn't exactly my idea." Greg countered. He still looked at Sara. "Trust me, even I would see the drawbacks to beating myself."

Sara looked at Greg, switched from his battered body to his own returning stare. A sly smile spread across her face. "You look like a ripe tomato Greg."

Greg smiled with her after her joke, the tension gone. All he wanted was for her to understand that he didn't want a fuss made, and now that she did, Greg could relax.

The doctor continued to note some things in his notepad, but quickly finished his examination. "Well Mr. Sanders, you can go home tonight. You need to rest for a week however," He noted strictly as Greg hopped up from the hospital bed. "You're not completely healthy. Like your friend said, you took a very rough beating. You want to rest until some of the bruises heal, for your comfort if anything. And your hands will have to be especially cared for to minimize scarring, and to keep it from itching. A simple ointment for burns should do the trick."

"Yeah, thank you." Greg said, looking about for is jacket.

"You may want to wait until your IV is taken out." Sara said to him as she watched his antics with a raised eyebrow.

Greg looked to where the IV was still taped to his hand, and he grinned sheepishly. "That might be a good idea."

* * *

"Thanks for bringing me home, Sara." Greg said as he sat down on the couch in his apartment. He held up his bandaged hands and sighed. "This is going to be a pain to go to the bathroom with."

Sara allowed herself to laugh freely at his humour as she rummaged in his kitchen for something to prepare him. Even after all of the reassurances from her friends, she still felt partially to blame for Greg's injuries, so she had volunteered to bring him home and to make him supper. Putting aside her own guilt, she also just wanted to talk to Greg. After living through the day not knowing that she would ever see him again, she needed to just talk with him. "No problem Greg." She responded to his question. "Any requests for supper?"

"As long as I have something soon, because I am starving." Greg replied. "Sara?"

"Yeah?" Sara was still rummaging his almost barren cupboards for something to prepare. She really wanted to make Greg something decent, and she felt her own stomach rumble. The coffee that Grissom and Nick had brought back to her had only intensified her feelings of hunger. She was preoccupied with her search for food; she wasn't prepared for what Greg was about to say.

"It's not over yet, is it? With Santosa Perkasa, I mean."

Sara didn't respond. She hadn't even thought of it before now, and she did not have an answer. "I found some cans of vegetable soup." Sara instead replied. "It'll be meatless for me, and have fluids for you."

"Sounds good." Greg answered, not even seeming fazed by her avoidance of his question.

Sara smiled and went about setting up the meal. She grabbed two tins of soup and set them to boil in a small saucepan while she went to get the both of them something to drink, and making sandwiches. While she busied herself with the task of making dinner, she thought of Greg's question. It was almost laughable that she hadn't before. She had been so caught up with finding Greg, and when she did, all thoughts of Perkasa slipped away. Her happiness at finding Greg alive made her completely forget what this was all about in the first place. Santosa Perkasa was still out there, and no doubt he was scheming to get the twins. Or worse…

He had gone after Greg and nearly killed him. What was to stop him from going after Nick, or her? Or anyone she cared about?

Her mind was whirling with all of these thoughts, and she wasn't looking where she was going, and she ran head-first into Greg who had come in to see if he could help.

"Oops, sorry Sara!" Greg said as he grabbed her arm to pick her up off the ground. "I should have watched where I was going."

Sara shook her head. "No, it was my fault Greg." She stood on her feet and looked around at the things on the floor that she had dropped but thankfully had not spilt. "I was lost in my own little world of thought." She sighed.

"I'll help you with that." Greg offered, but she shook her head again.

"Don't, Greg. I'm supposed to be helping you, remember? Your hands don't need to be doing this stuff just yet. You shouldn't even be up, what are you doing in here?"

"I missed you?" Greg replied with a smile that Sara reciprocated, though with a silent reprimand in her eyes. He chuckled. "Fine, fine, I'll sit down and watch you do all the work."

"Thank you." Sara said as she picked up the stuff and placed them on the counter. She started placing slices of tomato on bread. "You know, I was really scared when I heard that you and Nick had been attacked. I was even more afraid when I arrived at the scene and you weren't there."

Greg frowned. "Do we have to talk about it?"

Sara cocked her head to the side thoughtfully. "No," She started, "but I want to."

Greg sighed. "I don't see what there is to talk about. I know what happened to you and Nick, and you aren't hurt, so we can move past that. You know what happened to me while I was captured, so we can move past that. Is there anything else?"

"Your question caught me off guard." Sara blurted out suddenly. She finished the last of the sandwiches and brought over the soup, placing a bowl each in front of them. Greg just stared at his reflection in the soup. "I never even thought of it until you mentioned it. I'd like to know why it was on your mind."

"Guess I'm a thoughtful person." Greg mumbled.

Sara looked at him tenderly. She was going to have patience with him after everything that had happened. "That may be, but I don't think that's the case. Greg," she said, placing her hand on top of his, "what are you thinking?"

Greg watched Sara's hand, and his eyes softened. "I have never been as scared in my life as I am when I even hear the mention of Santosa Perkasa." He stopped, as if reliving a nightmare in his head. "I've been a CSI for nearly three years now, Sara. I have seen serial killers, rapists, murderers, madmen. Perkasa is a combination of all those things, and more. That kind of man in existence is dangerous to everyone, and I'm his enemy now. And through me, I've put you and Nick in danger. How can I not think about him, Sara? He's going to haunt me for the rest of my life. The question of your safety will overwhelm me long after the twins are safely away from here."

Sara gave a sad smile as she listened to Greg's inner thoughts. "Oh Greg." She said as she lifted her hand from his. "Oh Greg. You really are that sweet. You know that your putting our well-being in front of your own will be your undoing. It already has."

"That's just who I am." Greg sighed dejectedly. "I can't change that."

"I don't want you to change." Sara said, making him look at her. "I just want you to be more careful, and to make yourself see that if Perkasa does come after us in the future, it's not your fault."

Greg nodded. "Nick, you and I are in this together." Sara continued. "We all decided that no matter what, we'd protect the twins, and we have. We have won this, Greg, the twins are safe now. They'll stay in protective custody at the police station surrounded by cops. No one could get close enough to them. In a week, they'll be with their relatives, flown across the ocean where even Perkasa won't dare reach for them."

"That may be." Greg said. "But I don't think so."

Sara seemed stunned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I don't think that our troubles, or the twins' troubles, are over just yet." Greg confided. "Like your bad feelings right before I got kidnapped, I have a bad feeling about what the future has."

Sara nodded. "Whatever happens, we'll get through it together." And with that last sentence she started to sip on her soup, now just the right temperature to be drunk. She looked up at Greg, who was staring curiously at her. "Go ahead Greg, your soup will get cold, and you need your strength."

He gave a lopsided smile and also started to eat, his ravenous appetite finally taking over. Only five minutes later everything was eaten, and only dirty dishes remained. Sara grabbed them up and placed them in the sink.

"I suppose I should be going home now." Sara said stretching and yawning as if to support her choice to leave. "It's been awhile since I saw the cool side of a pillow."

"Wait. Sara, please wait?" Greg asked, seeing her start to leave. She turned to face him. "Umm, uh, I was wondering, uh…" Greg started to flush profusely and his hand went to the back of his neck. "Well, I didn't want to stay home alone. The both of us have the day off tomorrow, and I don't want you to drive home alone if you're too tired, and, um…"

A smile grew on Sara's face. "Yeah, Greg, sure I will." She stopped. "That is, if you're asking me to stay over."

Greg nodded. "Yeah, if you don't mind. I don't really want to be alone, if you know what I mean."

Sara nodded. She went and laid her coat on the back of the chair next to where Greg was sitting. "I don't." She whispered to him. "I'll get the couch ready."

Greg stood and placed his bandaged hands on her shoulders. Sara sniffed the scent of the cream on his burns, and his own scent mingled in to it and she closed her eyes in peace. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, tickling her neck with his breath. "My bed is big enough for two, you know."

She turned her head to face his, and a mischievous smile graced her features, making her face glow radiantly. "Can I trust you?" She asked slyly.

Greg returned the smile, and slowly, hesitatingly, he moved his lips closer to hers until they brushed. She didn't resist. She let it happen, and she kissed him back, closing her eyes and enjoying the tenderness of the moment. They had gone through so much together, even in the last week. They could get through whatever Perkasa would throw at them in the future.

"You never answered my question." Sara said, looking up at Greg when their kiss ended. "Can I trust you?"

And somehow, they both knew Sara's question held more significance the second time around. Greg brought his hand to her face, and she leaned into it. "With your life."


	15. Saying Goodbye

**A/N: Hey, it's me again. Okay, another double feature, and the last, to be exact. These are the last two chapters. And I'd like to say right now, thanks to all who read and reviewed. You really make my day and encourage me to write. It's sappy, but true. You guys are all wicked. And that's all I really have to say except, I hope you enjoy, and thanks for reading and having patience with my sporadic updating. Have an awesome week, and enjoy!

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CHAPTER 15: SAYING GOODBYE

A week had passed since the whole incident with Greg's kidnapping and the Las Vegas day of steady crime. Peace had come at last to the city, or at least as much peace as what would be allotted to the city of sin. Greg's injuries had mostly healed. His sunburns had peeled and healed; his bruises had faded, leaving only a paler tinge to his skin. His hands were still in the process of healing, but they no longer held the sickening black, dead skin. New skin was finally growing, not leaving a trace that the burn ever existed. Greg never minded the time off that he got from his injuries. It just meant that he got more time off to stay home and wait for Sara's visits.

Sara returned to work, as did Nick. While Perkasa seemed to have faded back into obscurity, the rest of the criminals in Las Vegas had not, and there were still crimes to process. And without Greg to help it along, there was more work to do among them. The time was not regretted however. Things finally seemed to be returning to normal.

Though protection from Sara, Nick and Greg wasn't needed anymore, it did not stop Sara from visiting them every chance she got to. As often as she was at the police station to interrogate someone, she was in the special temporary room where the twins were being cared for. Her infatuation with them had not disappeared in the slightest. Every time she visited them the same maternal feelings welled up inside of her. But another feeling, a dull ache, grew inside her with every day that passed. She knew that soon she would have to say goodbye. The day soon came.

Sara, Nick, Greg and a few of the officers that had been caring for the twins waited at the terminal at the Las Vegas North Airport for the plane carrying Rachel Powell and her husband. It had arrived already, but they did not even know what they looked like. The couple would have to find them.

Greg looked over at Sara who was kneeling in front of the double stroller, fiddling nervously with Matthew's collar, trying to get it to stay down. He smiled at her. "Sara, the collar's fine."

"No it's not." Sara said slowly, still trying to flatten it while Matthew fussed at the uncomfortable attention. She growled irately. "What's wrong with this thing anyways? Why won't it stay flat?"

Greg chuckled and walked over to where she kneeled, and lowered himself down to her. "Sara, trust me." He said, taking a hold of her arm and guiding her up to stand with him. "It's fine. They're fine. It's you." Sara's eyes went wide and she started to look at herself, straightening out her clothes and causing Greg to laugh again. "No, no, I meant that you're just anxious. About them leaving."

Sara sighed and smiled sadly as she looked at the blonde haired blue eyed babies sitting side by side in the stroller. "I'm going to miss them, Greggo. I truly can't explain it, because I've only known them for two weeks, and it's not like they can speak."

"That doesn't mean that you can't become attached to them." Greg said.

"Babies have just as much charm and personality as a grown human." Nick added, coming over. "The only difference is that babies are more honest about it."

Sara nodded in agreement.

"There they are, David!" Sara turned around to see a small blonde woman come towards them, waving to them and dragging an overwhelmed man behind her. Sara thought she was seeing a ghost; the woman looked like Laura Powell had walked from the grave herself. "Come on David, stop dragging behind! I want to see my precious nephews."

"Hello. You must be Rachel Powell." Nick greeted them as they neared them. "I'm Nick Stokes." And he introduced everyone else that stood with the twins. "We were involved with your sister and brother in law's murders, we're sorry for your loss."

Rachel's face fell a bit, but her composure remained. "I am still in shock about that, but as my husband David taught me, you must go on with life. If not for yourself, than for others who need you." With that she turned to the twins. "And these little guys need me now. Hey Matthew, hey Gabriel…" She paused as she looked between them. Sara frowned.

"The one on the right is Gabriel and on the left side is Matthew. You can tell because Gabriel was the one attacked. He still has marks under his neck."

"Oh yes." Rachel said as she looked them over. She lifted Gabriel's neck and clicked her tongue sadly. "What a sin, to do this to a child."

"Tell me about it." Greg said. "These little guys have had a lot more to deal with in the last two weeks than most toddlers have in all their lives. They'll be a lot safer on the other side of the ocean."

"I'm sure they will." Rachel spoke again. "We live in a very safe neighbourhood in England, and we're a quiet sort. I'm sure Matthew and Gabriel will have a wonderful and safe life there."

"I hope so." Sara whispered, unheard by anyone but Greg.

"Well," Rachel continued, "we have another half an hour before we have to get ready for the return flight. Sara, would you like to come with the twins and I while I get some real food? My husband, David White, can get acquainted with the boys here."

With an uneasy smile Sara said, "Sure."

And they walked off with Rachel pushing the stroller and Sara walking next to her, wishing she were pushing the stroller. The little café that sold coffee nearest them was only five minutes away, but as Sara fumed at the fact that Rachel had just walked into the twin's life, it felt like a half-hour. She hardly caught what Rachel was saying. All she heard was snippets of her relationship with Laura.

"…We weren't that close, she and I…Damien never seemed like a good choice for her…was always in trouble, unlike me…"

Sara nodded, still looking at the twins. Her feelings were in limbo, and she did not know how to deal with them. She would have to soon, because she would soon have to say good-bye.

"Here we are." Rachel said as they approached a small group of tables and chairs. Rachel turned to Sara. "I can't take the twins into the line-up, so can you watch them for me for a second?" Sara nodded, and Rachel smiled and walked to join the line-up. Alone for the time being, she knelt down in front of the twins, and the same ache filled her inside again. She just couldn't process the emotion that flowed through her. They were foreign to her.

She took her hand and started to fiddle with Matthew's collar again, much to his displeasure and to Gabriel's amusement. Sara smiled as she watched the twins. "I really love you guys, you know that?" Sara said to them. Though she usually found the idea of speaking to things that couldn't understand her laughable, she finally understood why people did so. They appeared to listen. "You've put me through hell and back with trying to protect you, you've endangered us all, but I'd do it all over again to have you stay with me."

"Ah, here we go…what a wonderful coffee you have over here on this side of the world. I always commented on it to David after my visits here. Stronger than the stuff over in England." Rachel came back and sat down in a chair, resting a glazed donut on the table next to her coffee cup, still steaming. "Ah, my sweet little angels. I know it's been a while since we've seen each other, and I know I'm not your mother, but I'll try my best for you."

"How long have you and David been married?" Sara asked, the investigator side of her personality starting to spark. Rachel was not yet known to her. Sara wanted to make sure that allowing the twins to go over there was the right thing to do, although she knew that she had no power to stop it.

"Over four years now." Rachel said. "I'm older than Laura, so when I heard that she was engaged I was shocked. She had only been going out with Damien for a few months. However, their marriage hit a rough patch for a while, after she found out that he had been gambling. That's what happens when you don't know your partner."

"Well, they stayed together." Sara said. "That has to count for something."

"They loved each other. That's all that kept them together. You are right, however; I'm being too critical. It's not just mistrust that can break someone apart. Even David and I had our troubles."

Sara raised her eyebrows. "Like what?"

Rachel looked at Sara curiously. Sara knew that she was diving too deep into a stranger's past, but Rachel deemed Sara worthy to hear her tale, because she continued. "The first year we were married, we tried for months to get pregnant, but it just wasn't working. We went to a few doctors, and they said we were just infertile. David is fine; I have problems. So, the doctor gave me some advice, and we tried for another year, and nothing came of it. The doctors offered to use other methods, but we just thought we weren't meant to have kids. David is a bit of a traditional guy, but it killed him that we couldn't have kids. He wants them so badly. As a result, we grew apart, but we kept it together, accepted what couldn't be changed."

"Why didn't you adopt?" Sara asked. "And why didn't David seem very interested in the twins when you arrived."

Rachel laughed. "David is an introvert. It takes time for him to warm up to people, but he truly is a wonderful man. He'll make a wonderful father." Rachel added as she looked at the twins. Sara looked at her, and she seemed to warm up to the idea of letting the twins go with them.

Rachel laughed suddenly, and Sara looked puzzled. "I know you're trying to find out if I'm going to be a good guardian to these kids, Ms. Sidle."

"What?" Sara stuttered, blushing at being caught. "No, you're mistaken, I'm…"

"Don't try to fool this woman, Ms. Sidle." Rachel laughed again. "I may not look old to you, but I have plenty of experience with reading people. It's my job. I'm a lawyer."

Sara looked down embarrassed. She had completely underestimated this woman.

"Don't be discomfited, dear." She smiled warmly at Sara. "You were looking out for their interests, and for that I thank you. I've been told of all that has been going on over here regarding Matthew and Gabriel. I also hear that you and two of your acquaintances had something to do with their safety. I thank you with the greatest sincerity." She paused, and looked over at Sara with a questioning look. "You seem very much attached to these twins. You don't have children of your own?"

"No, I don't." Sara said quietly, though she was starting to open up to this very wily woman.

Rachel looked surprised. "Why not, dear? You're still young enough to have a child."

Sara paused as she contemplated the question posed to her. "I'm pretty sure it's because of my past." Sara said, and Rachel did not press, much to Sara's appreciation. "I never had a good childhood, and my life regarding men up to now hasn't been much better. And, I don't know, I just don't feel right raising a child in a fatherless home if I can help it. I know I have no control if the father dies from something or leaves me, but I don't feel it is right to try to raise a child all on my own."

"It's a good choice." Rachel responded. "If you feel you can't give the child a loving home then it's best to not even try. It'd be harmful to the baby."

Sara smiled. "Thank you for understanding." She said.

Rachel laughed again. "I'm glad I meet your standards, Ms. Sidle."

"Call me Sara." She replied, standing up and looking at the large clock that hung from a nearby tower. "Your flight leaves soon. We'd better start to head back to the men."

They started to walk towards where they came from, though the walk back was much more at ease this time, the tension disappeared from the air. When they arrived, they saw Greg, Nick, David and the police officers laughing and talking freely. Rachel chuckled when she saw them. "I guess that the rest of your friends are as amiable as you are, Sara. I've never seen David open up so quickly to a group of people before."

Sara grinned. "That they are." She started to walk forward, with Rachel pushing the twins walking with her. They came up to the men, and Greg turned around, noticing them first. "Hey Sara, Mrs. Powell. David's a real joker here. Says he's shy? Ha!"

"I am, but the chums back in Britain aren't as free-spirited as you are." David replied, his British origin finally showing through his accent. He was a tall, handsome man with unassuming features, with a soft coloured brown hair that had a slight wavy curl in it not unlike Greg's. Sara could hardly believe that he was shy at the moment. His eyes held a cheekiness to them that also resembled Greg's. "I'd love to stay and chat, but we got to get the little ones settled away on the plane before we leave. It was wonderful to speak with you all."

"Same here." Nick and Greg said in unison.

"Yeah, stay in touch." One of the officers said as they turned. The officer turned to Sara. "We're pretty much done here, right?" Sara nodded. "Then we'll be getting coffee. The lady had a good idea. We'll meet you at the entrance."

"Okay." Sara said. She wanted to say goodbye to her new friends and the babies she had grown so close to, but when she turned to face David White and Rachel, Matthew and Gabriel Powell, together as a family, Sara found her throat constricting. It was time to say good-bye.

Greg and Nick, too, seemed to be having a hard time. "You better keep in touch, Dave." Greg said to the man as he bent down and gave each of the twins a loving pat, followed by Nick. "I want to know how the tykes are doing. And I want to hear more of your jokes, they're a riot."

David laughed. "Count on it. But you and Nick have to promise to keep me up to date on all the great stuff you do, like rock climbing and surfing, and also on the sports here."

"You know we will." Nick said.

Sara remained aloof from the group. She stared at the twins, and Rachel smiled sweetly at her. "It's time, Sara. You have to say good-bye." Tears started to well in Sara's eyes. "Oh, it's okay, Sara, we'll keep in touch, I promise. You'll know everything that happens in their lives."

Sara smiled, but tears rolled down her cheek freely. "Thank you." She choked out as she bent down to eye level with Matthew and Gabriel. She reached out a hand, and the brothers each reached out to grasp her fingers. It made everything so much harder for her. "I know you probably can't understand me, but I hope you know how much I love you two. I wish I could be there to watch you grow up, but it's safer this way, for the both of us. I'm just glad that I could help you to be safe." She reached in and gave them a kiss. When she leaned back out, the twins also seemed sad, sobered, but they did not cry. They simply looked at Sara and made a tiny squeal. They reached up, wanting to be picked up by her. _"Perhaps they do understand." _Sara thought as she stood up. Greg came near her and wrapped his right arm around her shoulder.

"Thank you for everything." Rachel said as she walked though the departure gate. "We'll keep in touch. As soon as I land I'll let you know how the trip went. Bye!"

And everyone said their last good-byes, and Sara, Greg and Nick watched as the four of them turned and walked in through the gate. After they were out of sight, Sara sniffed, and Greg tightened his grip on her. "You all right Sara?"

She wrapped her arms around Greg's waist. "I don't understand why I feel this way. I only spent two weeks with them. They were just babies. And I know they'll be in good hands. So why do I feel this way?"

She felt Greg's laugh reverberate in his chest. "It's how all mothers feel when their babies leave the nest."

* * *

"Ugh, the line up his huge." Greg complained as he stood with Sara and Nick at the same coffee shop Sara and Rachel had been at fifteen minutes before. "Why did we even come here? We could be out of here and in the drive-thru of the nearest restaurant, for a decent price."

"Shut up Greg." Nick said, taking out his own frustration at staying at the airport out on him. "You know why we're here, so deal with it and stop complaining."

"I'm sorry, guys." Sara apologized from where she stood in between the men, on back of Nick and in front of Greg. "I just want to stick around and watch their plane take off."

"Oh, it's not your fault Sara." Nick said. "I want to watch them take off too, for my own peace. But come on, the lines here are sickening, and when you finally get to the counter the prices are crazy!"

Sara laughed. "That's the society. They prey on the tired, thirsty and hungry. They're smart, but evil."

Greg laughed at their discussion, but remained silent. He heard a voice crackle on the loudspeaker, but something in the speaker's tone was not right. "Shh, guys, quiet!" Greg hissed to Sara and Nick.

They became quiet, but Greg still strained to hear. Sara and Nick still did not even know what he was paying attention to. They saw him pale, and he grabbed their hands, pulling them out of the line-up. People quickly filled in the gaps where they used to stand.

"_Greg!" _Nick yelled. "We were almost there. Fifteen minutes in the line-up…"

"Greg, what's wrong?" Sara asked with concern. "What were you listening to?"

"You didn't hear?" Greg asked with surprise. "Two missing babies, stroller and all. Went missing in departures. Blonde hair, blue eyes…twins."


	16. Poison And Promises

**CHAPTER 16: POISON AND PROMISES**

Sara gasped. "Oh no, Matthew and Gabriel!" She started sprinting towards the place where the twins went missing. "Come on, we have to find them!"

Greg and Nick took off after her, soon catching up, and they raced towards the departure gate. As soon as they entered they saw David and Rachel sitting, pale and horrified, on a bench. "Rachel!" Sara panted as she walked over, "What happened?"

Rachel was almost in shock, so David answered the question. "We were getting checked out by the security here, and Rachel had to walk over to the side to get something metal checked, and when she came back, the twins were missing."

Sara turned blood red and turned ragingly towards the airport security officer. "I thought you were supposed to be on more of a tight search after 9/11, not be slacking!" She screamed.

"Ma'am." The man said, seeming very used to angry patrons. "We're supposed to look for terrorists, not baby snatchers."

"They _are _terrorists, you stupid…" She growled and turned away. "They're useless. You know who's behind this, don't you?"

Greg nodded, and he became paler still. "Santosa Perkasa."

"We should have been more careful." Nick said, throwing his arms in the air. "We knew he was still loose, and we knew how intent he was at getting the twins. How could we have been so stupid?"

"It's too late for that now." Sara said, her eyes now burning brightly. "We need to split up, and start searching. There's no chance he has gotten out already with two babies." She turned to the security officer she had yelled at before. "Call your superiors and tell them to block all of the entrances and exits. No one else leaves, got it?"

The officer nodded, and at once got on his radio. She turned back to Nick and Greg. "Okay, Greg, you search the airfield, and ask around there. Nick, go back into the airport and search for any traces of him. Ask anyone and everyone. I'll stick around here and try to pick up on something. This is our rendezvous point. Go!"

She watched the men run off without another word to where Sara had sent them. She breathed out and prepared to work when they were out of sight, and returned to the officer. "Did you see anything when you took that lady over to the side?" Sara asked him.

"Lady, are you allowed to be asking these questions?" The man said. Sara's eyes blazed and she flashed her badge in his face.

"Does that answer your question?" She replied icily.

The man shrugged. "I dunno. I was trying to find the metal that was making our detector tick, but I ended up not finding it. I guess it was the sensor getting faulty."

Sara sighed again. "You must remember something."

The man thought. "Oh, maybe. I remember this man coming in. He had a ticket and didn't make the sensor beep. He came in before the people who had the stroller. He sat down, and as soon as the woman came in, he showed my partner his ticket and it ended up being for the wrong flight. That's when he left. He may have taken the stroller, but I didn't notice if he did or not."

Sara didn't wait to thank him. She left for inside the airport. She took up her radio and brought it to her mouth. "Nick, Greg, I have a trail. He was waiting for us, but he was smart. He waited inside the departure gate out of sight of us and when we left he made his move and took the twins. Keep searching."

"_Will do." _Greg crackled in.

"_Gotcha." _Nick added.

Sara nodded and ran out, but immediately a pang of doubt rang inside her. This airport was huge. And as soon as this thought came to her, it was eradicated by her will and the adrenaline that coursed through her body. She took a deep breath and started going from person to person, asking for babies of Matthew and Gabriel's description. Many people turned out to have not seen them, or at least did not remember them, but soon she asked an old man who was sitting on a bench, and got a lucky lead.

"Oh sure." He replied slowly. "I saw young-uns like looking like that come by here not that long ago, went that-a-way. I though it was odd because the man who was pushing them along looked like he wasn't from around here. Didn't even look like the kids."

"Thanks sir." Sara blurted out as she went in the direction he had pointed out. _"The man looked foreign?" _Sara though as she ran in the same direction, stopping to ask whether the travellers and workers had seen the twins. _"Perkasa is foreign, but he wouldn't come out of hiding to get the twins."_

"_Sara!" _Greg cracked in the radio. _"Nick, I see him! I see the man who has the twins!"_

Sara stopped, and panting into the radio asked, "Where too?"

"_He's in the airport, and looking for a way out. He was in the airfield, but I think he saw me before I saw him. He's in the airport, went in from the west entrance and exit to the airfield. I'm in pursuit, but he'll lose himself in the crowd before I catch up."_

"_I'm too far". _Nick said. _"It'll take me too long to get there. I'm right at the east end now."_

"I'm not." Sara replied, looking up and seeing the sign for the west terminal. "I'll try and get him, Greg, but hurry up. I'll need back-up."

Sara looked around, but did not see anything out of the ordinary. The room was overwhelmingly large, and people swarmed around like the ants in Grissom's ant farms. The exit to the western side of the airfield was right in front of her. If the man was coming from the west airfield, that was where he would come from? She hadn't missed him, so where was he?

And then she heard a ruckus from her right, and when she looked she saw the man zoom out of the crowd, pushing the stroller with dangerously high speeds. "Stop!" She screamed at his back.

He didn't stop, however, as Sara expected. He kept running, and Sara took chase after him. Dodging the crowds that waited for their flight, the two of them ran for nearly a minute straight until Sara had made some ground. "LVPD, stop right now or I'll shoot!"

Once again, her warning was not heeded, and the man ducked down a hallway that led to a storage area, Sara right on his tail. When she rounded the corner, she saw his feet duck into a room near the middle of the hall. She walked into the room, taking her gun and getting ready to use it. And she was going to use it.

The room was dark except for a blocked window which allowed only a little light in. The room was a cold blue colour, and she shivered as the sweat that accumulated on her back from running so much started to evaporate. The room was also fairly large, blocked almost tight with unused boxes. It made it hard to see where she was going, and it made it impossible for her to see anything under a certain height.

"Come out with your hands up!" Sara called out into the room. "Come out right now, and maybe we can strike a deal. If you let me have the twins safely, we can both come out of here safely."

She walked further into the room against her better judgment. She realized that she would have to flush him out. Sara turned around a corner of stacked boxes, but once again, there was no sight of the man.

Then she heard the familiar sound of her cubs, a squeal of unhappiness. "Gabriel?" Sara called out into the uncertain darkness, but the sound of her babies in danger caused her to rush ahead. She turned around another corner, heading into a cave of boxes. Inside was the stroller, but she could not see either the twins or the man. "Matthew, Gabriel?" Sara asked as she headed towards them, but she fell to her knees when she felt a blunt knock come to her head.

The next few seconds were a blur. She shut her eyes tight as cymbals crashed in her head and she heard the twins cry out. Hearing the babies forced Sara to get up, and when she realized what was happening, she was on her back, looking up at a man with her gun aimed at her. Sara groaned. "Santosa Perkasa…"

"That is who I am." He said. His voice was the same icy authority that she had heard on Greg's cell phone at the restaurant. Like Greg had described him, he was a man of short stature, but made up for it by his voice and stare. The aura that surrounded him sent chills down Sara's spine, and caused her eyes to go wide, as if she were staring a vicious wild animal straight in the eye. He was the scariest man she had ever seen. "I've wanted to meet you for a while, Sara Sidle.

"And why is that?" Sara asked, backing up towards the stroller. She eyed the gun warily. She recognized it as her own. She had dropped it when she had been hit. She cursed at herself.

Perkasa walked closer as she backed away. "Your friend seemed very fond of you. You know, the young man who tried to fool me. He was lucky to escape me. He wouldn't tell me his name. It was such a shame. I found his bravado quite intriguing."

Sara remained silent. She was still shocked that he was even out of hiding, out in public. He had never gotten his hands dirty with one of his jobs. He always had someone to do it for him.

"You and the twins were the only ones he cared about, even when his own life was at risk. Any woman who would instil that kind of loyalty in a man must be special. And now I see that you bravely look death in the eye to save these boys. You are quite something."

"I didn't go further than any other police officer." Sara reasoned.

"Oh no, Ms. Sidle." He insisted as he kept his cold eyes lingering on her, his gun still aimed true. "Not many people would go so far out of the call of duty to do what you did. I find it amazing. And stupid. No one can get the best of Santosa Perkasa." He walked over until he bored down over her, his eyes freezing her to the spot. "You can't save the twins, Ms. Sidle."

"Now, Perkasa," Sara pleaded, "You don't know what you're doing."

He gave a small smile. "I know exactly what I'm doing." He twitched his arm, ready to raise Sara's gun and finish the job when he paused. "You know, Ms. Sidle, you must be wondering what I am doing out of my casino, why I'm not getting someone else to do this."

"It had crossed my mind." Sara answered, her mind trying desperately to find a way out of the mess. All she could see was the space about her bathed in blue as the shunted light from the windows hit the walls and cast its hue about the objects in the room. Her options were limited, at best.

"Well, it's all because of you and your friends." Perkasa said with something bitterer in his voice. Sara found herself even more petrified. "I have never had so much trouble before with trying to kill someone in my life. And they are mere children! How you have managed to thwart my plans time and again is beyond me. I have put my mind to the limits, and have come up empty-handed. Even when I held your young friend captive, you still managed to trick me, and you captured one of my best agents." He brought up the gun again. "Well, now I get my full revenge. If you want something done, you have to do it yourself, and so I have been revealed. If I can destroy the twins and you all at the same time, I will have fulfilled my goals."

"How can this have consumed you?" Sara was compelled to ask him by her curiosity, as Greg's had compelled him to ask questions. He was an intriguing character as much as he was an evil one.

Perkasa laughed. "Why does the welfare of these kids consume you? It is nature, my dear, and no one can really explain it. Like a mother, you do anything to protect these children. Like a predator, I will do anything to hunt them down, and destroy my prey."

"You're sick." Sara said, slowly realizing that her options were slowly falling away from her. "That works fine for wild animals, but we have the intellect to solve problems in more peaceful ways. We have rules, laws, a conscience, a cognitive ability to be able to solve complex problems like this in a way that suits both sides. Why do you insist on this brutality?"

"That is easy to say when you are staring down the barrel of a gun." Perkasa said. "Perhaps we should model ourselves more after the animals in our…"

"I know of your obsession with Komodo Dragons, and I don't want to hear it anymore." Sara cut him off. "You do know that even if you destroy me, and the twins, you're trapped. There's no way you're getting out of here."

"I have no problems with that, Ms. Sidle," Perkasa said, raising his gun again to Sara's dismay, "as long as I destroy you and the twins. Even if I just get you, I'll be satisfied." And he moved to finish her off. Sara closed her eyes to brace herself, but the fatal gunshot did not come. Sara opened her eyes again and looked up to see his eyes roll back in his head. Sara watched in amazement as he fell down to the ground next to her, her eyes watching his every movement.

"The names Greg Sanders, you bastard." Sara looked up at him, realization dawning on her as he went to her side. "Are you okay Sar?" He asked her as he knelt down, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her.

"You just took down Santosa Perkasa." She murmured, still staring at the man lying unconscious next to them. "What did you do?"

"I had an old score, and my hands may hurt now, but it was worth the extra week in healing to land a blow to his head." Greg said. "But right now I'm worried about you. How come you're on the ground?" He paused, and she knew he saw the now emerging lump on her head. "Are you okay? Are you dizzy, nauseous?"

"Greg, I don't have a concussion. Just a large bump and a bruise." She muttered. "Are the twins okay?" She asked him. She hadn't been able to check on them and she found their silence disconcerting.

"The twins!" Greg exclaimed, jumping up from where Sara was and walking over to the stroller. She heard him sigh in relief. "They're fine. They look a bit frazzled, but otherwise completely injury free."

"Thank God." Sara said. She rubbed the back of her neck, and then felt strong arms wrap around her waist, hauling her to her feet.

"Can you walk on your own?" Greg asked her quietly. She nodded, and he slowly let his grip go. When he saw that she was not lying, he let go of her completely and grabbed the twins. "Let's go back to Nick, and David and Rachel. They have a flight to catch. They need to get out of here."

"What do we do with him?" Sara asked as she pointed to Perkasa on the floor. "We can't just leave him there."

"I'll take care of that." Nick appeared with the two police officers behind him.

"Nick called us for backup after he heard you were going after Perkasa." One of the officers explained before he went to handcuff Perkasa. "We finally have him, and definitely enough proof after this to hold him for good. That's a load off of our minds." He looked to Sara and Greg, who were standing together on the side. "We can ask you guys later for your statements, or Nick here can get your take of it. We can, uh, assume what you'll say."

"Thanks guys." Nick said. "We can manage the twins. You take care of him." The officers replied they would, and Nick went over to Greg and Sara, who were slowly making their way back out to the main terminal area. Greg walked slowly, making sure that the twins were really okay, and making sure that Sara could manage on her own. "Is everything okay?"

"Just fine." Sara said, still rubbing her sore neck and looking at the twins, safe and sound once again. The ache her head was feeling seemed a little less painful when she looked at them. "Let's just get these little guys back to David and Rachel."

* * *

Sara stood between Greg and Nick, watching the plane take off, taxiing down the runway and then shooting off with amazing force, lifting off the ground. Off into the air it went with David White and Rachel Powell and their new children, Matthew and Gabriel. Sara watched it fly away until it was just a black speck in the air in the distance. "I hope Matthew and Gabriel make them as happy as they made us. And I hope that Matthew and Gabriel can finally have a happy life. They deserve it."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Greg said. "I believe that David and Rachel will be real good to them. They seem made for each other. The twins have no parents. Dave and Rachel can't have kids of their own. It's a perfect match."

"They're good people." Nick added. "They'll be all right. And we'll keep in touch, so we'll know how they're doing." He turned away when he couldn't see the plane anymore. "Well, I have to report for shift soon, and I guess I'm going to have to come back here soon anyway. We did catch Santosa Perkasa here, after all. I already took your guys' statements, so you can just head on home. I know where to find you if I need you for anything else. I'll catch a ride back with the officers, so you don't have to drive me back. I'll see you guy's later, okay?"

"Yeah." Greg said, looking at Nick leave. "Catch you later."

"And Sara," Nick added, making her turn around as well, "get that bump checked out, will ya?"

"I'm fine, Nick…" Sara began, but Greg clapped his hand across her mouth softly.

"I'll take care of her, Nick. Let us know how it goes at booking." He gave a huge grin at seeing Nick's questioning look. "Doesn't it feel good to have him behind bars?"

"Not yet Greggo." Nick laughed as he turned and started to leave again. "But soon. See you later."

"Bye." Greg and Sara called together. When he was out of view, Sara looked to him slyly.

"I'm sure you will take good care of me, Greg."

"You bet." Greg said, giving her a cheeky wink. "Look, my hands a bit sore from knocking out Perkasa. We can take care of each other."

"Yeah." Sara said, smiling as well. "The whole 'I scratch your back, you scratch my back.'"

"That has possibilities."

Sara tried to suppress her laugh. The day's whirlwind of events was still fresh in her mind, and she was trying to sort them out. To become so lighthearted after such a sobering trial seemed unfair and Greg noticed this right away. "What's on your mind?" He asked her as they started walking towards the airport exit.

"I just can't believe it." Sara answered, not hesitating for a second. Greg was the one she needed to talk to. He was her connection with this case, and they had an intimate understanding.

"What can't you believe?" Greg asked her. He coaxed her along slowly. From past experiences with Sara, he knew that slow and steady wins her trust. He was patient, he could wait.

"A lot of things." She breathed out as they walked outside. They had arrived there around noon. Already it was getting dark outside. She hadn't realized just how much time had passed. It hadn't registered when Nick said his shift started soon. Once the sun set, night came on quickly. Her fatigue was also starting to set in. "I can't believe that Perkasa is actually in police custody on a charge that we can make stick. I can't believe that Matthew and Gabriel are finally safe, free to live a life away from all the dangers and temptations of Las Vegas. But most of all, I can't believe the lengths that he was willing to go to for the sake of old debts and pride."

Greg frowned. "That gets me too. It's kind of scary, isn't it, how he actually got so deranged by the end of it that he tried to do this by himself? Like the Komodo dragon, he poisoned himself."

"What gets me is that he almost got away with it."

Greg looked at her as they finally found the vehicle they drove there in. Her thoughts were unorganized, and he knew that she needed help to organize them. He wanted to help her. He was hesitant to admit his own thoughts were just as thrown about in his head as hers appeared to be. They both got in and sat down, but remained silent until Greg had driven out of the maze of parking lots and gotten out onto the highway, on their way to his apartment. "We stopped him Sara."

"I know that, Greg, but…"

"Listen for a second. Santosa Perkasa was a law-forgoing bad-ass who was ruthless and cruel and evil. He was about to destroy two innocent babies until you had the courage to intervene. You saw that Matthew and Gabriel needed protection, and you gave it to them. You saved them. I helped only because I knew that you'd kill yourself trying. Nick did the same. Be happy, be proud, Sara. You did what a lot of people would not even think of doing. You were selfless. And we won. It's finally over, and I can finally say that without being kidnapped, or without having the twins abducted in an airport and having you nearly shot."

Sara was silent. Greg chanced a look over at her and saw that she still looked like something preoccupied her mind, but she was smiling. She was in better spirits. And seeing Sara happy made him smile.

"Doesn't it feel really good to know he is in jail?" Sara asked him, after a time of silent contemplation. They had already entered the city, artificial lights guiding their way on the streets. It wouldn't be too long until they reached Greg's apartment.

"Really good." Greg said softly.

"It just feels so surreal." Sara added. "It's like it's not really happening."

"I know how you feel." Greg replied. He pulled into the parking lot of his apartment complex, and they both got out and walked to his apartment. They entered the familiar rooms of familiar scent, and they immediately walked to his bedroom. They were too tired to eat, their eyes drooping after the hectic day. Sara's headache had subsided, but her head was still very tender, and she was careful not to touch it. She sat down on the bed and watched as Greg took off his shirt.

Looking in the mirror in front of him, Greg saw her looking absentmindedly at him as he got ready for bed.

"Something is still on your mind." Greg stated it rather than asked it, because he knew he was right.

She looked up. "I'm glad that I have the next two days off, and that you're still on leave, because I didn't want to ask Grissom for a few days off."

"Sara, Sara, Sara." Greg chided gently, taking his arms and wrapping them about her, burying his face in her hair while being careful about her tender injury. He breathed in her scent and he felt that familiar sense of contentedness. "Take a break once in a while. There are other things to life than work."

Sara took her hands and wrapped her fingers about Greg's arms. "I realize that now." She said, causing Greg to lift his head and gaze at her curiously. "It may be too late, it may not, but all those years that I let pass me thinking that I could never have a kid I now regret. I never realized that I could be a good mother, but protecting Matthew and Gabriel has taught me that I could. Catherine's had it right all along, about the happiness that being a parent brings."

Greg smiled brightly. "I never thought I'd be hearing Sara Sidle say she wants kids."

"It's not just that, Greg." She said with a thoughtful expression on her face. She avoided his bright brown eyes that, even the dull light of the room, still shone with a curious and eager radiance. "It's not just kids that I want. I want something more. I want the white picket fence, a husband, a stable family. A simple kind of life. I didn't have that as a child growing up in Modesto." She looked up at him now, but laughed. "I know, I shouldn't be saying all of this. We've only been dating for a week. It's all pretty intense for right now."

Greg nodded slightly. "Yeah, it is." He said casually. "But we've been best friends for much longer. Speaking for myself, I'm over thirty now. I'm ready to settle down. And if I'm settling down with you, then I'm sure as heck satisfied."

Sara looked down again, this time out of happiness as tears once again welled up in the corners of her eyes. Greg knelt down in front of her. "Of course, we have all the time in the world, but I'll try and do whatever it takes to make you happy, to make your simple kind of life a reality."

Sara reached out and kissed him, and then ruffled his hair a bit. "That can all wait until tomorrow. We can sleep now."

Greg laughed as she crawled backwards to the head of the bed. He crawled after her. He wasn't going to give her up. The love was just too strong. He was certain that one day her dreams of a simple life would happen for the both of them, and that all this drama would be left behind. He landed on top of her, still being gentle with her as he placed a kiss to her lips. "Well, we can try."

**The End

* * *

That's it everyone. I hope you enjoyed. Once again (this may get old...sorry) thanks to everyone who read and reviewed. Have an awesome week:D **


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